verb / noun HSK 5
to torment · to torture · to cause suffering · ordeal · torment
Meaning
折磨 describes the act of causing prolonged physical or mental suffering to someone, or the experience of such suffering itself. It carries a strong emotional weight and is used for serious situations involving pain, distress, or anguish over an extended period.
Usage
This word is commonly used for both deliberate acts (torture, tormenting) and situations that cause suffering (illness, hardship). It's more formal than casual speech but appears frequently in literature, news, and serious conversations. The noun usage refers to the ordeal or torment itself.
Examples
- 01这场疾病折磨了他好几年。.This illness tormented him for several years.
- 02等待考试结果的过程真是一种折磨。.The process of waiting for exam results is really a kind of torment.
Characters
Common collocations
- 精神折磨mental torture
- 肉体折磨physical torture
- 受尽折磨to suffer all kinds of torment
- 折磨人to torment people
Antonyms
Origin
The word combines 折 (to break/bend) and 磨 (to grind), literally suggesting the process of breaking down and grinding away at someone, which captures the persistent, wearing nature of torment.