root of evil; source of disaster
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
root of evil; source of sin or disaster
literaryA literary term, often used to describe the fundamental cause of misfortune, wickedness, or calamity.
Tān贪
yù欲
bèi被
shì视
zuò作
yī一
qiè切
zuì罪
è恶
de的
niè孽
gēn根
。
Greed is regarded as the root of all evil.
Rú如
guǒ果
bù不
bá拔
chú除
fǔ腐
bài败
de的
niè孽
gēn根
，
shè社
huì会
jiù就
nán难
yǐ以
jìn进
bù步
。
If the root of corruption is not eradicated, society will struggle to progress.
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Zhè这
chǎng场
nèi内
zhàn战
de的
niè孽
gēn根
kě可
yǐ以
zhuī追
sù溯
dào到
jǐ几
shí十
nián年
qián前
de的
mín民
zú族
máo矛
dùn盾
。
The source of this civil war can be traced back to ethnic conflicts decades ago.