How to Write 劣 (liè) — Meaning “inferior; bad”

Picture a person with very little (少) strength (力) trying to lift a heavy log — they fail and look weak. The top part 少 looks like a small head and arms, while 力 is the weak body below.

Write the top part 少 first: small dot, left-falling stroke, dot, then the final right-falling stroke. Then add 力 below: horizontal hook and left-falling stroke. Common mistake is making the top 少 too wide; keep it narrow so the character stays balanced and compact.

Unlike 劣, 劝 (quàn) means 'to advise' and is a left-right structure with 又 on the right. 办 (bàn) means 'to do' and has 力 with two dots inside. Visually, 劣 is a top-bottom character with 少 above 力, while the others have different layouts and meanings.

劣 appears in formal or written contexts to describe bad quality or inferiority, such as 恶劣 (vile/harsh) and 劣势 (disadvantageous position). It is not common in casual speech but is used in news, reports, and evaluations to indicate poor conditions or performance.

Common words containing 劣 include: 恶劣 (è liè) — Vile, harsh, or of poor quality.; 劣势 (liè shì) — disadvantage; inferior position; 优劣 (yōu liè) — Merits and demerits; pros and cons..