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March 24, 2026
不良()bùliáng(bu4liang2)
不良 (bù liáng) refers to something that is bad, harmful, or unhealthy. It is often used in contexts relating to behavior, habits, or conditions that are detrimental to health or well-being, such as 不良习惯 (bù liáng xí guàn) meaning 'bad habits'.
Frequency#6109DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 不良 behaviors is significant, particularly in discussions around health and social conduct, reflecting the emphasis on collective well-being and moral standards.
Memory Tip
Imagine a bad (不) apple (良) that is unhealthy. The '不' resembles a person frowning, representing negativity, while '良' can be visualized as a healthy apple. Together, they form the image of something that is not good for you.
Meanings of 不良
bùliáng(bu4liang2)
1bad
2harmful
Exercise 1 of 3
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 不良
不良Simplified
Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 不良
Podcast: 不良
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AI Study Notes for 不良
Quick Contrast
坏 (huài) — use 不良 for more formal or specific contexts regarding harmful effects, while 坏 is more general for bad or faulty.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a bad (不) apple (良) that is unhealthy. The '不' resembles a person frowning, representing negativity, while '良' can be visualized as a healthy apple. Together, they form the image of something that is not good for you.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 不良, as both syllables are pronounced with a falling tone (4th tone) for 不 and a rising tone (2nd tone) for 良. Common mistakes include confusing 不良 with other similar words like 良好 (liáng hǎo), which means 'good'.
HSK Study Tips
不良 is not explicitly listed in HSK levels but is useful for learners at HSK 3 and above to describe negative traits or behaviors. Students should focus on collocations like 不良行为 (bù liáng xíng wéi) and practice using them in sentences.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 不良 behaviors is significant, particularly in discussions around health and social conduct, reflecting the emphasis on collective well-being and moral standards.
Common Mistakes
Learners often forget to use the correct tones, saying 'bu liang' instead of 'bù liáng'. Additionally, they might confuse it with 良好 (liáng hǎo), mistakenly thinking both mean 'good'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 不良
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Common Confusions with 不良
不良vs不
bù
Common negation but part of the target word.
不良vs良
liáng
Similar pronunciation but opposite meaning.
Exercise 1 of 1
Spot the Difference
Which character means "bad"?
or
Usage Notes for 不良
Misinterpretation of '不良'Common Error
'不良' is often misunderstood as only pertaining to moral issues, but it can also refer to health and quality.
1
不良饮食习惯
Unhealthy eating habits
Exercise 1 of 1
Fill in the Blank
____饮食习惯
Unhealthy eating habits
Cultural Notes for 不良
💡Did you know?
在中国，‘不良行为’通常与青少年犯罪、吸毒等负面现象有关，因此常常被提及在教育和社会问题的讨论中。
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of 不良 behaviors is significant, particularly in discussions around health and social conduct, reflecting the emphasis on collective well-being and moral standards.
📜Proverb
‘不良之风’是指社会上流行的坏风气，这个词常用于批评不良习惯或行为。
Frequently Asked Questions about 不良
不良 (bù liáng) often implies a more serious or harmful negative quality compared to 不好 (bù hǎo), which simply means 'not good.' For example, 不良 behavior might suggest harmful actions, while 不好 could refer to something that is merely unsatisfactory.
Synonyms for 不良 include 差 (chà), which means 'poor' or 'bad,' and 恶劣 (è liè), meaning 'dreadful' or 'atrocious.' Each of these words can convey a sense of negativity or inferiority, but they may be used in slightly different contexts.
You can use 不良 in sentences like '他的健康状况不良' (Tā de jiànkāng zhuàngkuàng bù liáng), which means 'His health condition is bad.' It can also be used in phrases like '不良影响' (bù liáng yǐngxiǎng), meaning 'negative influence.'
不良 (bù liáng) translates to 'bad' or 'unfavorable' in English. It commonly describes something that is harmful, negative, or of poor quality. This term can be used in various contexts, such as describing behavior, health, or conditions.
You can say, '他有一些不良习惯' (He has some bad habits).
Yes, 不良 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, often seen in health reports or social discussions.
Synonyms include 有害 (yǒu hài), meaning 'harmful', and 坏 (huài), meaning 'bad'.
