máobìng: 毛病 - Fault, Problem, Bad Habit, Illness

• Keywords: máobìng, 毛病, Chinese word for problem, what's wrong with you Chinese, bad habit in Chinese, something wrong with machine, Chinese fault, Chinese illness, HSK 4 vocabulary
• Summary: Discover the versatile Chinese word 毛病 (máobìng), a must-know term for describing everything from a faulty phone and a car that won't start to a person's annoying bad habit or a minor illness. This page will break down its core meaning, cultural use, and provide practical examples to help you understand when to use 毛病 to talk about a problem, a flaw, or what's wrong with something (or someone!).

• Pinyin (with tone marks): máobìng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: A fault, defect, shortcoming, minor illness, or bad habit.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 毛病 (máobìng) as the perfect word for a “glitch” or a “hiccup” in a system, whether that system is a machine, a person's body, or their personality. It’s not a major disaster, but an annoying, persistent problem. The word itself gives a great visual: a tiny “hair” (毛) causing an “illness” (病), perfectly capturing the feeling of a small but frustrating issue.

• 毛 (máo): This character means “hair,” “fur,” or “feather.” In this context, it represents something small, fine, and perhaps insignificant on its own, but capable of causing trouble—like a single hair in your soup or a stray thread jamming a zipper.
• 病 (bìng): This character means “illness,” “sickness,” or “disease.” It points to a state of not being well or not functioning correctly.
• Combined Meaning: When you put 毛 (hair) and 病 (illness) together, you get “hair-illness.” This brilliantly describes a minor, nagging fault. It's not a life-threatening disease, but a small defect that prevents something from working perfectly.

毛病 (máobìng) reflects a very practical and non-dramatic approach to problems in Chinese culture. It's a common, everyday word used to diagnose issues without much fuss. A key cultural point is its use in direct confrontation. In English, asking “What's your problem?” can be aggressive. The Chinese equivalent, “你有什么毛病？” (Nǐ yǒu shéme máobìng?) or more commonly “你有毛病啊？” (Nǐ yǒu máobìng a?), takes this to another level. It's not a genuine inquiry but a blunt, rude accusation that translates more closely to “What's wrong with you?!” or “Are you nuts?!”. It implies the person's behavior is so irrational it must be a “fault” in their brain. Understanding this is crucial to avoid major social blunders. Compared to the English concept of a “flaw,” 毛病 is less formal and more versatile. A “character flaw” in English sounds serious and deeply ingrained. A person's 毛病 in Chinese, however, could be as simple as “being lazy” (懒) or “procrastinating” (拖延症), and is often discussed with a lighter, more accepting tone (unless used in the confrontational manner above).

毛病 is an incredibly useful word you'll hear constantly. Its meaning changes entirely based on context.

• Referring to Machines and Objects: This is the most common and neutral usage. It means a defect, glitch, or that something is broken.
  • My car has a problem.
  • This software has a few bugs.
• Referring to People's Habits or Quirks: This refers to a bad habit, a personality flaw, or an annoying quirk. The tone can be teasing, complaining, or self-deprecating.
  • He has a bad habit of always being late.
  • My only fault is that I'm too picky.
• Referring to Minor Illnesses: It can describe a small, often chronic, health issue that isn't a serious disease. It's a way of downplaying an ailment.
  • I have this old problem of getting headaches when it rains.
• As a Confrontational Remark: As mentioned, this is a very informal and rude way to question someone's sanity or behavior. Use with extreme caution, if at all.
  • Are you crazy? Why did you do that?!

• Example 1: (About a machine)
  • 我的电脑最近老出毛病，总是自动关机。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de diànnǎo zuìjìn lǎo chū máobìng, zǒngshì zìdòng guānjī.
  • English: My computer has been acting up recently, it always shuts down by itself.
  • Analysis: Here, 出毛病 (chū máobìng) is a common collocation meaning “to develop a fault” or “to break down.”
• Example 2: (About a bad habit)
  • 他最大的毛病就是太懒了。
  • Pinyin: Tā zuìdà de máobìng jiùshì tài lǎn le.
  • English: His biggest flaw is that he's too lazy.
  • Analysis: 毛病 is used to describe a negative personality trait. It's a direct and informal criticism.
• Example 3: (Confrontational)
  • 你有毛病啊？跟你说了多少遍了，不要碰我的东西！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yǒu máobìng a? Gēn nǐ shuōle duōshǎo biàn le, bùyào pèng wǒ de dōngxi!
  • English: What is wrong with you?! How many times have I told you not to touch my stuff!
  • Analysis: This is an angry, exasperated outburst. 你有毛病啊 (nǐ yǒu máobìng a) is used to insult someone's intelligence or rationality.
• Example 4: (About a minor illness)
  • 这是我的老毛病了，一到冬天就咳嗽。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒ de lǎo máobìng le, yī dào dōngtiān jiù késou.
  • English: This is an old problem of mine; I start coughing as soon as winter arrives.
  • Analysis: 老毛病 (lǎo máobìng) literally means “old fault” and refers to a chronic, recurring health issue or a long-standing bad habit.
• Example 5: (Nitpicking)
  • 你别老是挑我的毛病，好不好？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bié lǎoshì tiāo wǒ de máobìng, hǎo bù hǎo?
  • English: Can you stop always nitpicking/finding fault with me?
  • Analysis: The verb 挑 (tiāo) means “to pick.” The phrase 挑毛病 (tiāo máobìng) is a set phrase meaning “to nitpick” or “to be critical.”
• Example 6: (About a product)
  • 这件衣服除了有点贵，没什么别的毛病。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiàn yīfu chúle yǒudiǎn guì, méishénme biéde máobìng.
  • English: Besides being a bit expensive, there's nothing else wrong with this piece of clothing.
  • Analysis: A very practical way to say something has no flaws or defects.
• Example 7: (Self-deprecation)
  • 我这人有个毛病，就是心太软。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zhè rén yǒu ge máobìng, jiùshì xīn tài ruǎn.
  • English: I have this flaw, I'm just too soft-hearted.
  • Analysis: A common, sometimes humble-bragging, way to talk about one's own personality traits.
• Example 8: (In a professional context)
  • 我们必须找出系统中的小毛病并修复它们。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū zhǎochū xìtǒng zhōng de xiǎo máobìng bìng xiūfù tāmen.
  • English: We must find the small bugs in the system and fix them.
  • Analysis: 小毛病 (xiǎo máobìng) means “small bugs” or “minor issues.” It's a less technical-sounding alternative to `故障 (gùzhàng)`.
• Example 9: (About a plan or idea)
  • 这个计划听起来不错，但执行起来可能会有很多小毛病。
  • Pinyin: Zhège jìhuà tīng qǐlái bùcuò, dàn zhíxíng qǐlái kěnéng huì yǒu hěnduō xiǎo máobìng.
  • English: This plan sounds good, but there might be many small problems when it comes to execution.
  • Analysis: This shows how 毛病 can be used for abstract concepts like plans, referring to potential flaws or hitches.
• Example 10: (Checking if something works)
  • 你检查一下，这台打印机是不是有什么毛病？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ jiǎnchá yīxià, zhè tái dǎyìnjī shì bùshì yǒu shéme máobìng?
  • English: Can you check and see if there's something wrong with this printer?
  • Analysis: A simple, direct way to ask if an object is malfunctioning.

• “毛病” vs. “问题 (wèntí)”: This is the most important distinction.
  • 问题 (wèntí) is a neutral word for “problem” or “question.” You have a `数学问题 (shùxué wèntí - math problem)` or `一个重要的问题 (yī ge zhòngyào de wèntí - an important question)`.
  • 毛病 (máobìng) specifically implies a fault, defect, or flaw. A machine has a 毛病, not a 问题 (unless you are using “问题” in its very general sense of “issue”). You cannot have a “math 毛病.”
  • Incorrect: ~~我的数学有毛病。~~ (My math has a fault.)
  • Correct: 我有一个数学问题。(I have a math problem/question.)
• “毛病” vs. “病 (bìng)”:
  • 病 (bìng) is a genuine illness or disease, like `感冒 (gǎnmào - a cold)` or `癌症 (áizhèng - cancer)`.
  • 毛病 (máobìng) is a minor, often chronic, ailment. Calling cancer a 毛病 would be a massive and inappropriate understatement.
• Common Pitfall for Learners: DO NOT use “你有什么毛病?” to politely ask someone if they are okay. It is highly offensive.
  • Incorrect: (You see a friend looking sad) ~~你有什么毛病吗？~~ (Do you have a flaw/Are you crazy?)
  • Correct and Polite: 你怎么了？(Nǐ zěnme le? - What's wrong?)
  • Correct and Polite: 你没事吧？(Nǐ méishì ba? - Are you okay?)

• 问题 (wèntí) - “Problem” or “question.” A much broader and more neutral term than `毛病`.
• 缺点 (quēdiǎn) - “Shortcoming” or “weakness.” Often used for personality traits or product features in a more formal way than `毛病`.
• 故障 (gùzhàng) - “Malfunction” or “breakdown.” A more formal and technical term used almost exclusively for machinery and systems.
• 坏 (huài) - The adjective “bad” or “broken.” You can say “电脑坏了 (diànnǎo huài le - The computer is broken),” which is similar to “电脑有毛病 (diànnǎo yǒu máobìng - The computer has a fault).”
• 习惯 (xíguàn) - “Habit.” This is a neutral term; it can be a good habit (`好习惯`) or a bad one (`坏习惯`). `毛病` is always a *bad* habit or flaw.
• 病 (bìng) - “Sickness” or “disease.” A more serious medical condition than a `毛病`.
• 挑毛病 (tiāo máobìng) - A verb phrase meaning “to nitpick” or “to find fault with someone/something.”
• 老毛病 (lǎo máobìng) - An “old problem,” referring to a chronic ailment or a long-standing bad habit.