虐待

• Pinyin: nüè dài
• Hanzi breakdown: 虐 = 虍 (tiger head) + 爪 (claw) — cruel, tiger-like treatment; 待 = 彳 (step) + 寺 (temple) — to deal with or attend to someone

Meaning

To abuse; to mistreat; to subject to cruel or inhumane treatment.

Used in legal, psychological, and social welfare contexts. Includes physical abuse (身体虐待), emotional abuse (精神虐待), child abuse (虐待儿童), and animal cruelty (虐待动物). Carries strong moral and legal condemnation. Related: 家庭暴力 (domestic violence).

Examples

1. 相关部门接到举报后迅速介入，对涉嫌虐待未成年人的当事人展开调查，并依法对受害儿童实施临时保护措施。 After receiving a report, the relevant authorities quickly intervened, opened an investigation into the suspected abuse of minors, and, in accordance with the law, put temporary protective measures in place for the victimized children.
2. 这部纪录片通过真实案例揭示了家庭暴力中精神虐待的隐蔽性和长期危害，引发了社会各界的高度关注。 Through real cases, the documentary revealed how hidden psychological abuse can be in domestic violence and the long-term harm it causes, drawing intense attention from all sectors of society.
3. 动物保护组织呼吁立法机构尽快出台更严厉的法律条款，以遏制虐待动物行为的蔓延。 Animal protection organizations are urging lawmakers to introduce stricter legal provisions as soon as possible to curb the spread of animal abuse.

Usage Guide

Context: law, social welfare, psychology, human rights

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 儿童虐待不仅会留下难愈的心理创伤，还会严重影响认知、社交和社会功能，社会必须高度重视。(Child abuse not only leaves psychological trauma that is hard to heal, but also seriously affects cognition, social interaction, and social functioning, so society must take it very seriously.)
• 该养老机构被曝出存在系统性虐待老年人的行为，包括限制人身自由、克扣伙食和辱骂等，相关责任人已被警方依法拘留。(The elderly care facility was exposed for systematic abuse of residents, including restriction of personal freedom, withholding of food, and verbal abuse — those responsible have been detained by police in accordance with the law.)

Don't Say

• 将'虐待'用于轻松玩笑语境，如'妈妈今天虐待我们，让我们多做了一道题' — 虐待 is a serious term with legal and psychological weight; using it humorously trivialises genuine abuse; use 折腾 or 整 instead for playful 'torment' in casual speech

Origin & History

虐 = 虍 (tiger) + 爪 (claw) + 人 (person) — a tiger's claws upon a person, depicting cruelty; 待 = 彳 (walk) + 寺 (temple/wait) — to treat/wait upon

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal