How to Write 孽 (niè) — Meaning “Sin; evil; calamity.”

Picture a child (子) born from a bitter (辛) situation involving a mouth (口) under grass (艹) — this represents a sinful or ill-fated birth. The many strokes in the top part remind you of the heavy, messy nature of evil.

Start with the grass radical 艹 at the very top, then write the mouth 口, then the bitter component 辛, and finally the child 子 at the bottom. The top part is tall and compact, so keep strokes tight to balance the whole character. A common mistake is making the 子 too large or pushing it too far right.

Both use the 子 radical at the bottom, but 孺 has the top part 需 (meaning "need") and means "child" or "young person." In contrast, 孽 has the complex top 薛 and means "sin" or "evil." Visually, 孽 has a more crowded top with multiple components, while 孺 has a symmetrical top with 雨 (rain) and 而.

孽 appears in formal or literary contexts, especially in words like 罪孽 (sin, retribution) and 作孽 (to commit a sin). It is closely tied to Buddhist ideas of karma and moral consequence, so it carries a heavy, serious tone. You will rarely hear it in casual conversation, but it appears in idioms, religious texts, and dramatic storytelling.

Common words containing 孽 include: 罪孽 (zuì niè) — Sin; retribution; karma; 孽缘 (niè yuán) — An ill-fated relationship.; 作孽 (zuò niè) — to commit a sin; to do evil.