毛病 máobìng fault
fault; defect; shortcomings; ailment
How to remember 毛病: 毛 hair + 病 disease = fault.
Characters
How it is used
- A fault/defect/problem - of a machine (机器出毛病了 the machine's acting up) or a person's bad habit (改掉毛病 fix a bad habit).
- Also a minor ailment: 老毛病 (lǎo máobìng) a chronic/recurring health issue.
- 毛病 is a flaw/glitch/quirk; 问题 (wèntí) is a broader 'problem/question.'
- 挑毛病 (tiāo máobìng) = to nitpick/find fault; 找毛病 similarly.
Example sentences
- 我的腿有什么毛病？ Wǒ de tuǐ yǒu shénme máobìng?What's wrong with my legs?
- 我挑不出他的毛病。 Wǒ tiāobùchū tā de máobìng.I cannot find fault with him.
- 他总是挑别人的毛病。 Tā zǒngshì tiāo biérén de máobìng.He is constantly finding fault with other people.