smear with black; tarnish; vilify
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesverb
to smear black; to literally daub with black paint
Literally means to apply black paint or substance. This physical sense is less common than the metaphorical one.
Hái孩
zi子
men们
yòng用
mù木
tàn炭
wǎng往
qiáng墙
shàng上
mǒ抹
hēi黑
。
The children smeared charcoal on the wall.
verb
to blacken; to tarnish; to vilify
The primary modern usage. It metaphorically means to damage someone's or a group's reputation or image.
Gàn干
má吗
yào要
wǎng往
zì自
jǐ己
liǎn脸
shàng上
mǒ抹
hēi黑
？
Why would you smear your own face (i.e., tarnish your own reputation)?
Tā他
jué决
bù不
huì会
gěi给
jí集
tǐ体
mǒ抹
hēi黑
de的
。
He would definitely never tarnish the reputation of the collective.
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Jìng竞
zhēng争
duì对
shǒu手
zài在
wǎng网
shàng上
gěi给
wǒ我
men们
gōng公
sī司
mǒ抹
hēi黑
。
Competitors are trying to vilify our company online.
Zhè这
xiē些
yáo谣
yán言
shì是
xiǎng想
mǒ抹
hēi黑
tā他
de的
zhèng政
zhì治
shēng生
yá涯
。
These rumors are intended to blacken his political career.