恶意

• Pinyin: è yì
• Hanzi breakdown: 恶 = 亚 + 心 — bad/evil; 意 = 音 (sound) + 心 (heart) — the sound of one's heart, i.e. intention or thought

Meaning

Malice; ill will; malicious intent. A deliberate wish to cause harm to others.

恶意 ranges from interpersonal hostility to criminal intent and geopolitical aggression. In digital contexts: 恶意软件 (malware), 恶意攻击 (malicious attack), 恶意链接 (malicious link). Contrasts with 善意 (good intentions). It is used both as a standalone noun and as an attributive modifier.

Examples

1. 他明知自己的言论会伤害对方，却依然满含恶意地在网上散布谣言。 He knew his comments would hurt the other person, yet he still spread rumors online with clear malice.
2. 这起纠纷源于误解，双方并无恶意，经调解后已和平解决。 This dispute stemmed from a misunderstanding; neither side acted with ill intent, and it was peacefully resolved through mediation.
3. 公司的网络系统遭到恶意入侵，导致大量用户数据外泄。 The company’s network system was maliciously breached, resulting in a large-scale leak of user data.

Usage Guide

Context: law, cybersecurity, interpersonal, diplomacy

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 法庭在裁决中认定，被告实施伤害行为时具有明确的恶意，并非出于自卫，因此依法从重量刑。(The court determined in its ruling that the defendant acted with clear malicious intent when inflicting the injury and was not acting in self-defence, and therefore imposed a heavier sentence in accordance with the law.)
• 在网络空间中，恶意软件的传播手段日趋隐蔽，对用户数据安全和企业信息系统构成了严重威胁。(In cyberspace, the means of spreading malware are becoming increasingly concealed, posing a serious threat to the security of user data and enterprise information systems.)

Don't Say

• 他对她没有恶意的喜欢 — 恶意 is a standalone noun used in formal legal or ethical contexts; it is not used to modify emotional states in this way; say 他对她的好感是真诚的，没有任何不良企图

Origin & History

恶 (bad/evil) + 意 (intention/will/thought) — an evil intention directed toward causing harm

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal