弊
abuse, evil, vice, breakage
Readings
On'yomi
- ヘイ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
弊 centers on harmful or worn-out states: abuse, evil, and vice as moral decay, and breakage as physical deterioration. The common thread is something that has become broken or corrupted.
Most common words using 弊
20 of 34- 弊社へいしゃN1
our company; our firm
- 疲弊ひへい
exhaustion; fatigue
- 弊害へいがいN1
harmful effect; harmful influence; evil practice; abuse; malady
- 弊へい
bad habit; harm
- 語弊ごへい
faulty statement; misleading statement; misunderstanding caused by a misleading statement
- 悪弊あくへい
corrupt practice; evil practice; bad custom; abuse; evil ways
- 病弊びょうへい
evil influence; ill effect
- 余弊よへい
resulting evil; holdover
- 党弊とうへい
party evils
- 宿弊しゅくへい
longstanding abuse; deep-rooted evil
- 弊学へいがく
my university
- 弊履へいり
worn-out shoes
- 弊店へいてん
our shop; our store
- 弊所へいしょ
our office
- 弊政へいせい
misgovernment; maladministration
- 弊方へいほう
me; mine
- 弊村へいそん
poor village; our own (little or poor) village
- 弊紙へいし
our newspaper; this newspaper
- 弊習へいしゅう
corrupt practices; bad habit
- 弊職へいしょく
I; me
Study
Etymology
弊 is thought to combine 敝 (worn-out, tattered) with 廾 (two hands), suggesting something broken or damaged by use. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the idea of deterioration is consistent.
Meaning mnemonic
The top part 敝 looks like a torn cloth, and the bottom 廾 shows two hands. Imagine hands tearing a cloth until it is worn out and broken—this leads to abuse, evil, and breakage.
Reading mnemonic
For ヘイ, picture a broken object that you hate (ヘイ sounds like 'hate' without the 't'). The broken, evil thing makes you say 'hey!' in disgust: hey -> ヘイ.