Taxonomy of meanings for 虐:　　

  • 虐 nǜe (OC: ŋawɡ MC: ŋiɐk) 魚約切 入 廣韻：【酷虐説文作𧆩殘也魚約切三 】
    • CRUEL
      • nabactruthlessness; cruel oppression; cruelty
      • v[adN]nonreferentialsomebody who is cruel; oppressor; tyrant
      • vadNcruel; tyrannical (government etc.)
      • vadVoppressively; cruelly
      • vibe cruel
      • vtoNbe ruthlessly harmful to
      • vtoNcausativecause to become cruel, callous, unfeelingCH
      • vt+prep+Ndeal with cruelly, maltreat, mistreatCH
      • viin appearancecount as cruelCH
    • OPPRESS
      • vtoNcruelly oppress; be recklessly violent against
      • nabactoppression
    • INTENSE
      • EXCESSIVE
        • DESPISE
          • DISASTER
            • = 謔

            Additional information about 虐

            說文解字:

              Criteria
            • CRUEL

              1. The current general word for psychological cruelty is rěn 忍 (ant. cí 慈 "show kind loving concern"), and the current general word for cruelty in action is cán 殘 (ant. rén 仁 "kind-heartedness").

              2. NŸè 虐 (ant. fǔ 撫 "take good care of, show proper concern for subordinates or subjects") refers to wanton cruelty in the exercise of political authority.

              3. Lì 戾 typically refers to deliberate cruelty for its own sake, typically by those in political authority, viewed as a political mistake. See SEVERE

              4. Bào 暴 refers to a propensity towards public violence by those in authority, viewed as a character defect. See VIOLENT

            • OPPRESS

              1. The most common general word for oppression is probably nŸè 虐 (ant. cí 慈 "show loving care for").

              2. Bào 暴 (ant. fǔ 撫 "care well for") emphasises the aspect of violence.

              3. Líng 陵 (ant. yù 育 "take loving care of", and the rare jí 藉, and chéng 乘 emphasise the abuse of supremacy of social or political position.

              Word relations
            • Ant: (CRUEL)德 / 得/GENEROUS Dé 德 and the rarer zé 澤 refer to graceful and spiritually inspiring munificence, typically from a person of supremely high status.
            • Object: (OPPRESS)民/PEOPLE The dominant current general word for the people is mín 民 (ant. jūn 君 "ruler"), and this term refers to the people particularly insofar as they are ruled by a ruler or belong to a state.
            • Epithet: (CRUEL)政/GOVERN Zhèng 政 refers to the basically bureaucratic administration of a state, practical implementation of governmental measures.
            • Epithet: (CRUEL)刑/PUNISH Xíng 刑 refers specifically to physical punishment.
            • Assoc: (CRUEL)暴/VIOLENT Bào 暴 (ant. rén 仁 "humane") refers to negatively valued violence of disposition and action.