Chinese–EnglishWith examples

厉害

lì hai · li hai

Traditional 厲害

HSK 5Old HSK 4

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. (used to describe sb or sth that makes a very strong impression, whether favorable or unfavorable) terrible; intense; severe; devastating; amazing; awesome; outstanding
  2. (of a person) stern; strict; harsh; shrewd; tough
  3. (of an animal) fierce
  4. (of a resemblance) striking
  5. (of liquor or chili pepper) strong
  6. (of bacteria) virulent
Embed this word

Put this word on your class page or blog. Keep the link under the frame, so people can find the word. More widgets

In a conversation

0:24 cartoon

The phone game

  1. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)的(de)手机(shǒujī)游戏(yóuxì)打(dǎ)得(de)真(zhēn)厉害(lìhai)！

    You play phone games really well!

  2. Dengdeng

    谢谢(xièxie)，我(wǒ)每天(měitiān)打(dǎ)三个(sāngè)小时(xiǎoshí)。

    Thanks, I play three hours a day.

  3. Liangliang

    这么(zhème)厉害(lìhai)，你(nǐ)应该(yīnggāi)去(qù)比赛(bǐsài)。

    You are so good, you should go compete.

  4. Dengdeng

    可是(kěshì)我(wǒ)妈妈(māma)比(bǐ)我(wǒ)更(gèng)厉害(lìhai)。

    But my mom is even better than me.

  5. Liangliang

    她(tā)游戏(yóuxì)打(dǎ)得(de)更(gèng)好(hǎo)吗(ma)？

    She plays games even better?

  6. Dengdeng

    不(bù)，她(tā)只要(zhǐyào)说(shuō)一句(yījù)话(huà)，我(wǒ)就(jiù)关机(guānjī)了(le)。

    No, once she says one sentence, I switch it off.

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

我(wǒ)的(de)手(shǒu)抖(dǒu)得(de)太(tài)厉(lì)害(hai)，没(méi)法(fǎ)穿(chuān)针(zhēn)了(le)。

My hands were shaking too much to thread the needle.

Tatoeba: Chinese by fucongcong · English by darinmex · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

我(wǒ)听(tīng)说(shuō)他(tā)打(dǎ)麻(má)将(jiàng)很(hěn)厉(lì)害(hai)。

I hear he is good at mahjong.

Tatoeba: Chinese by fucongcong · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

Sources & licenses

How to write

Choose a character to watch its strokes or trace it yourself.

Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

Browse all wordsExplore words in context