How to Write 虐 (nüè) — Meaning “Cruel; tyrannical.”

A common mistake is writing the bottom part as 女 instead of the correct 爪-like shape. Remember that the bottom is a claw, not a person, so keep the strokes horizontal and curved. The stroke order starts with the tiger radical, then the claw strokes, totaling 9 strokes.

While 虏 (captive) and 虑 (consider) share the tiger radical, 虐 uniquely combines it with a claw to emphasize active cruelty. 虏 focuses on capture, 虑 on thinking, but 虐 is about causing harm, so the action of the claw is key.

虐 is used in serious contexts like 虐待 (abuse) or 暴虐 (tyranny), often in news or discussions about human rights. It can also appear in lighter terms like 自虐 (self-torture) when joking about doing something difficult, but it's not a casual word.

In Chinese culture, the tiger is a symbol of power and ferocity, so using it in 虐 emphasizes the beastly nature of cruelty. Historically, tyrants were likened to tigers, so the character carries a strong negative connotation of oppressing the weak.

虐 pairs with verbs or nouns to form compounds: 虐待 (to mistreat), 虐杀 (to kill cruelly), and 虐恋 (sadomasochism). In everyday speech, you might hear 别虐我了 (don't bully me) as a playful complaint, showing its flexibility.

Common words containing 虐 include: 虐待 (nüè dài) — To mistreat; to abuse.; 自虐 (zì nüè) — self-torture; masochism; 暴虐 (bào nüè) — tyrannical; brutal; oppressive.