wēihài: 危害 - To Harm, Endanger, Jeopardize

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• Summary: Learn the meaning and use of 危害 (wēihài), a key Chinese term for “to harm,” “endanger,” or “jeopardize.” This page explains how 危害 (wēihài) is used in formal contexts like public health, law, and environmental safety to describe serious threats and damage. Discover its cultural significance and compare it to similar words like `伤害 (shānghài)` to master its usage.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): wēihài
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To harm, endanger, or jeopardize; the harm or danger itself.
• In a Nutshell: 危害 (wēihài) is a strong, formal term used to describe something that causes serious, negative consequences or poses a significant threat. Think less about a simple injury and more about a large-scale risk to health, safety, the environment, or stability. It can be used as a verb (“to endanger”) or a noun (“the harm of…”). It carries a sense of gravity and is often found in official warnings, news reports, and scientific discussions.

• 危 (wēi): This character means “danger,” “peril,” or “to endanger.” It's the same character used in the word for “crisis” (`危机 wēijī`) and “dangerous” (`危险 wēixiǎn`). It evokes a sense of precariousness and risk.
• 害 (hài): This character means “harm,” “damage,” or “to cause trouble for.” It's found in words like “harmful insect” (`害虫 hàichóng`) and “to be afraid” (`害怕 hàipà`).

When combined, 危害 (wēihài) literally means “danger-harm.” The two characters reinforce each other to create a powerful term that signifies a serious and objective threat or the damage resulting from it.

In Chinese culture, there is a strong emphasis on collective well-being, social order, and stability. The term 危害 (wēihài) is a cornerstone of the language used to uphold these values. It is frequently employed by the government, media, and public institutions to label and warn against threats to the collective good. A useful comparison is to the English word “harm.” While you can say “gossip can harm a reputation,” the Chinese equivalent might use a different word for such personal situations. 危害 (wēihài) is typically reserved for more significant, often impersonal or systemic, issues. For instance, the phrase 吸烟危害健康 (xīyān wēihài jiànkāng) — “Smoking endangers health” — is a standard public health warning. It frames smoking not just as a bad personal habit but as a scientifically recognized public health threat. This usage reflects a perspective where identifying and mitigating large-scale risks (危害) is a critical responsibility for both the state and the individual to ensure societal harmony and safety.

危害 (wēihài) is most common in formal written and spoken Chinese. You will rarely hear it used between friends discussing a minor disagreement.

• Public Health and Safety: It is the standard term for PSAs, medical advice, and safety warnings. (e.g., warnings about food safety, pollution, or unhealthy habits).
• Law and Politics: It is used in legal documents and official statements, especially in phrases like 危害国家安全 (wēihài guójiā ānquán), meaning “to endanger national security.”
• Environmental Science: It's used to describe the damaging effects of pollution, climate change, or deforestation on ecosystems.
• As a Verb: It means “to endanger” or “to jeopardize.”
  • e.g., 这种化学品会危害环境。(Zhè zhǒng huàxué pǐn huì wēihài huánjìng.) - This chemical will harm the environment.
• As a Noun: It means “harm” or “danger” (in the sense of a damaging effect).
  • e.g., 我们必须了解垃圾分类不当的危害。(Wǒmen bìxū liǎojiě lājī fēnlèi bùdàng de wēihài.) - We must understand the harm of improper trash sorting.

Its connotation is always serious and negative.

• Example 1:
  • 吸烟危害健康。
  • Pinyin: Xīyān wēihài jiànkāng.
  • English: Smoking harms health.
  • Analysis: This is a classic, set phrase used in public service announcements across China. `危害` here is a verb, establishing smoking as a serious public health threat.
• Example 2:
  • 这种行为严重危害了国家安全。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng xíngwéi yánzhòng wēihài le guójiā ānquán.
  • English: This type of behavior seriously endangered national security.
  • Analysis: A very formal and official sentence you would hear in the news or read in a government report. The adverb `严重 (yánzhòng)` meaning “seriously” often precedes `危害`.
• Example 3:
  • 我们应该认识到空气污染的危害。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen yīnggāi rènshí dào kōngqì wūrǎn de wēihài.
  • English: We should recognize the dangers of air pollution.
  • Analysis: Here, `危害` is used as a noun, meaning “the harm” or “the dangers.” It refers to the collective negative effects of pollution.
• Example 4:
  • 传播虚假信息会危害社会稳定。
  • Pinyin: Chuánbō xūjiǎ xìnxī huì wēihài shèhuì wěndìng.
  • English: Spreading false information can jeopardize social stability.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows `危害` being applied to an abstract concept: “social stability” (`社会稳定`). This is a very common usage in official discourse.
• Example 5:
  • 长期熬夜对身体的危害很大。
  • Pinyin: Chángqī áoyè duì shēntǐ de wēihài hěn dà.
  • English: The harm of frequently staying up late to one's body is very significant.
  • Analysis: A more daily-life, health-related example. `危害` is a noun here, modified by `很大` (very big) to describe the extent of the damage.
• Example 6:
  • 酒后驾车不仅危害自己，也危害他人。
  • Pinyin: Jiǔhòu jiàchē bùjǐn wēihài zìjǐ, yě wēihài tārén.
  • English: Drunk driving not only endangers yourself, but it also endangers others.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses a common structure `不仅…也…` (not only… but also…) to show the wide-ranging danger of an action.
• Example 7:
  • 这种杀虫剂会不会危害农作物？
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng shāchóngjì huì bù huì wēihài nóngzuòwù?
  • English: Will this pesticide harm the crops?
  • Analysis: A practical question about the potential negative impact of a substance. It shows `危害` used in the context of agriculture and ecology.
• Example 8:
  • 任何危害公司利益的行为都将被追究。
  • Pinyin: Rènhé wēihài gōngsī lìyì de xíngwéi dōu jiāng bèi zhuījiū.
  • English: Any behavior that jeopardizes the company's interests will be investigated.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the use of `危害` in a business or corporate context, referring to abstract “interests” (`利益`).
• Example 9:
  • 我们低估了网络成瘾的危害性。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen dīgū le wǎngluò chéngyǐn de wēihài xìng.
  • English: We underestimated the harmfulness of internet addiction.
  • Analysis: The suffix `性 (-xìng)` is added to `危害` to create a noun, `危害性`, which means “harmfulness” or “perniciousness.”
• Example 10:
  • 为了保护儿童，我们必须消除所有潜在的危害。
  • Pinyin: Wèile bǎohù értóng, wǒmen bìxū xiāochú suǒyǒu qiánzài de wēihài.
  • English: In order to protect children, we must eliminate all potential harms.
  • Analysis: Here, `危害` is used as a noun to mean “harms” or “dangers.” `潜在的 (qiánzài de)` means “potential,” showing that `危害` can refer to risks that have not yet caused damage.

The most common mistake for learners is confusing 危害 (wēihài) with 伤害 (shānghài).

• 危害 (wēihài): Impersonal, formal, large-scale. Refers to endangering or harming systems, health, safety, the environment, or abstract concepts like stability and reputation. It's about risk and negative consequence.
• 伤害 (shānghài): Personal, direct. Refers to causing physical injury or emotional hurt to a person or animal. It's about a specific instance of being hurt.

Incorrect Usage Example:

他的话危害了我的感情。
(Tā de huà wēihài le wǒ de gǎnqíng.)

Why it's wrong: This is incorrect because “feelings” (`感情`) are personal and subjective. `危害` is too formal and impersonal. It sounds like you are writing a legal report about your feelings. Correct Usage:

他的话伤害了我的感情。
(Tā de huà shānghài le wǒ de gǎnqíng.)
English: His words hurt my feelings.

Think of it this way: A bully 伤害 (shānghài) another student. Pollution 危害 (wēihài) a city's population.

• 伤害 (shānghài) - To injure, to hurt. More personal and direct than `危害`.
• 危险 (wēixiǎn) - Dangerous (adjective); danger (noun). `危险` describes the state or quality of being unsafe, while `危害` is often the action of causing harm or the resulting damage.
• 损害 (sǔnhài) - To damage, to harm. Often used for abstract things like interests (`利益`), reputation (`名誉`), or relationships (`关系`). It overlaps with `危害` but can sometimes be less severe.
• 威胁 (wēixié) - To threaten; threat. A `威胁` is the potential for harm, while a `危害` can be the action or result of that harm being realized.
• 不利 (búlì) - Unfavorable, disadvantageous. A much milder term that describes a situation that is not helpful, but not necessarily dangerous.
• 风险 (fēngxiǎn) - Risk. The quantifiable or perceived probability of a negative outcome, which could be a `危害`.
• 弊端 (bìduān) - Drawback, disadvantage. The inherent negative aspects or problems within a system, plan, or policy.
• 后果 (hòuguǒ) - Consequence, aftermath. Can be neutral or negative. A `危害` is always a negative `后果`.