毛病

• Pinyin: máo bìng
• Hanzi breakdown: 毛 = pictograph of animal hair/fur; 病 = 疒 (sickness radical) + 丙 (phonetic), meaning illness or defect

Meaning

Fault; problem; bad habit. Refers to a defect in a thing or a bad habit in a person.

A versatile colloquial word. When describing objects (machines, cars, phones), it means a malfunction or defect. When describing people, it means a bad habit or shortcoming. Can also informally refer to a minor health problem. Very common in spoken Chinese. Often used with 出 (出毛病 = develop a problem) or 老 (老毛病 = recurring problem).

Examples

1. 这台电脑又出毛病了。 This computer has broken down again.
2. 他有个毛病，就是总迟到。 He has one bad habit — he's always late.
3. 你不能老挑别人的毛病。 You can't always be finding fault with other people.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, criticism, repair

Tone: critical

Do Say

• 这辆车有点儿小毛病。(This car has a few minor issues.)
• 他总是改不了这个毛病。(He can never fix this bad habit of his.)

Don't Say

• 他得了一个很严重的毛病。(Don't use 毛病 for serious illnesses — it implies something minor. For serious conditions, say 他得了一个很严重的病.)

Origin & History

毛 originally referred to animal fur or hair, implying something small and trivial; 病 means illness or defect. Together: a small defect — a minor but noticeable flaw.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal