What does 厉害 mean, and in what context does it mean what?

Question

This has to be one of the more ambiguous words I have struggled with.

厉害 can be:

very well performed = 玩得很厉害;
harsh = 骂得很厉害;
severe = 生病得很厉害;
probably a bunch of other stuff...

Can anyone give a comprehensive summary of the meanings and related contexts?

not ambiguous, just too many meanings (like the words great, like if you look up their entries in a dictionary) :p — prusswan, Jan 05 '12 at 11:22
Don't forget that 厉害 can be easily confused with 利害 which sounds exactly the same and means pros and cons — TiansHUo, Oct 10 '12 at 04:09

score 7 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 17 '20 at 09:50

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It is somewhat similar in usage to the word great in English, with the following meanings I can recall:

Impressive or skilled:

他的功夫非常厉害。= He is very skilled in martial arts.

太厉害了，他是怎么做到的？ = Very impressive, how did he manage to achieve that?

formidable:

厉害的角色 = A formidable figure (not one to be messed around with)

厉害的手段 = formidable tactics (in a sporting game, or as part of political intrigue)

severe:

某某股跌得太厉害了 = Stock X has taken a severe fall (in value)

However, 厉害 is not usually the phrase/word of choice to describe a performance (of the arts).

edited Jun 17 '20 at 09:50

Community

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answered Jan 05 '12 at 11:55

prusswan

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I think when 厉害 is used to describe the performance, it means "to be skillful to do, to be good at something, as you mentioned. I would say "他的三分球很厉害" He is good at three-point shot (as in basketball). – Huang Jan 05 '12 at 14:47
That is true but I have this feeling that it is turning into an often-abused word (just like great and like in English) used by people are unable or too lazy to think of a more appropriate word. – prusswan Jan 06 '12 at 12:03

Huang · Answer 2 · 2012-01-05T14:39:10.473

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prusswan's answer is great.I just want to make a supplement . 厉害 can be a noun and means

harsh(or severe) means(or way,manoeuvre,measure,etc.)

Example:

看来我得让你看看我的厉害。 It seems that I should make you know my severe means.

This is a warning to the listener that you will do something bad to him.

edited Jan 05 '12 at 14:39

answered Jan 05 '12 at 13:00

Huang

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You have an example sentence of when it is a noun? – Lars Andren Jan 05 '12 at 14:19
@LarsAndren Ok, I added an example to the answer. – Huang Jan 05 '12 at 14:37
Very interesting example! Two excellent answers, wish I could choose both as the correct answer. – Lars Andren Jan 05 '12 at 15:24
@LarsAndren You may suggest this on meta. Well, just kidding. I think prusswan's answer is better since it's more comprehensive. For me, the up-vote is enough. – Huang Jan 05 '12 at 15:33

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 29 '12 at 23:55

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An idiomatic English translation of 厉害 might be something like "beast" or "monster." Such a person might be "very capable." Or else overly harsh, strict, or overbearing. But basically "out of control."

answered Jan 29 '12 at 23:55

Tom Au

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score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 05 '12 at 22:45

厉害 can also mean quite a few things when describing a person and relies heavily on the context. For example the sentence:

他是很厉害

Has numerous possibilities and it would be wrong to assume something without further explanation.

Some examples:

This person is very strict or harsh
This person has a sharp personality
This person is very skillful / capable

The same with the use of 太厉害. This could have a positive or negative connotation. It could describe someone who is amazingly skillful or someone that is overly strict.

This is exactly the kind of ambiguity I was talking about. Great addition — Lars Andren, Jan 08 '12 at 13:39

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 02 '14 at 10:39

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'厲害' could be either 'Well/Good/impressive' or 'serious'.

Example: '好厲害!' -- 'Impressive/Good/Well done!'.
'也病的太厲害了吧' -- 'Well, but, ain't that a kinda serious sick?'.

answered Aug 02 '14 at 10:39

Steve Fan

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score -1 · Answer 6 · answered May 14 '14 at 06:33

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I have been quite busy preparing for my Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) exam, a Mandarin certification exam held twice annually. There are five levels and I started from the third level. Translator in Beijing

answered May 14 '14 at 06:33

user4552

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Lovely answer to another question. – Lars Andren Jun 05 '14 at 05:19

What does 厉害 mean, and in what context does it mean what?

6 Answers6