<p>zdic says 强横: 骄横跋扈;强硬蛮横。亦指这样的人.  </p>

<p>亦指这样的人 is not very clear. I suspect what it means is that in addition to functioning as a modifier (brutal and unreasonable), 强横 can also function as a nominal by itself (a brutal and unreasonable person). It doesn't give an example of this, however.</p>

<p>强横 refers to a type of person, or perhaps actions or policies that people implement.  I don't think it could refer to something inanimate, or even an animal. </p>

<p>zdic glosses 横 as 'unreasonable'. 横 refers to someone who goes straight ahead without following a road or path (reason or morality).</p>

<p>I also don't think 强 really means strong here; it is more like the 强 in 強盜 'robber'.  The MOE 國語辭典 defines this sense of 强 as 橫暴.</p>

<p>In any case, 强横 is never going to be neutral, just like 霸道 or 講理 are not neutral. Someone who is 强横 is a bad guy.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-16T08:52:50.480Z
"It doesn't give an example of this, however." it actually did, right on the zdic page:《四库全书总目·别集二三·怀麓堂集》：“ 东阳 如衰 周 弱 鲁 ，力不足御强横，……”
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-16T09:17:05.707Z
Oops. I see it now. Also in《后汉书·鲍永传》诛彊横而镇抚其餘
wpt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-16T06:19:26.703Z
2015-08-16T06:44:32.073Z
2015-08-16T06:44:32.073Z
wpt
<p>强横 as a noun referring to a brutal persion is an old Chinese expression. In modern Chinese, it often is used as a modifier.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-15T14:33:57.810Z
2015-09-15T14:33:57.810Z
Shudong
<p>I didn't see it reasonable to put 强横 in front of 实力 (strength, power), for 强横 is nearly always used to describe a PERSON, not an inanimate thing. The examples used by NS.X. and wpt are all from ancient contexts, and this word is used as a noun, meaning "something that is strong and brutal". This usage is very common in thousands of years ago, not today. <br/>
In today's context, the following expression are used: <br/>
他很强横。(He is quite rude and unreasonable.)<br/>
Thus 强横 is only used to modify a person. <br/>
And, as you can see from the translation, 强横 is definitely negative, even more negative than its ancient meaning.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-21T07:04:03.080Z
2015-09-21T07:04:03.080Z
Winfred Huang
<blockquote>
  <p>强横实力</p>
</blockquote>

<p>From <a href="http://www.zdic.net/c/a/149/323036.htm" rel="nofollow">zdic</a>, 强横 means "brutal and unreasonable", which does make sense. However, at the end of the line, it also adds "describes a <strong>person</strong> like that". </p>

<p>But if it is used as a description for something like strength which isn't something that is living, how would it make sense then? I mean, how can "strength" be "unreasonable"?</p>

<p>If that doesn't work, would something like "overwhelmingly strong" work as well?</p>

<p>EDIT: Somewhat related, but does 強橫 <em>always</em> have a negative implication, similar to perhaps "savage" or "uncontrolled" rather than a neutral "strong"?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-15T23:52:46.703Z
Put the sentence where the phrase is used. Strength cannot be unreasonable per se, but its application certainly can.
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-16T08:56:36.063Z
强 = non-negotiable, brutal, oppressive. 横 = rude, unreasonable. It's metaphorical when used on inanimate concepts just like 'merciless' in English.
NS.X.
<translation><meaning>
What does "强横" mean when it is used to describe an inanimate things?
# What does "强横" mean when it is used to describe an inanimate things?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-08-15)

> 强横实力

From [zdic](http://www.zdic.net/c/a/149/323036.htm), 强横 means "brutal and unreasonable", which does make sense. However, at the end of the line, it also adds "describes a **person** like that".

But if it is used as a description for something like strength which isn't something that is living, how would it make sense then? I mean, how can "strength" be "unreasonable"?

If that doesn't work, would something like "overwhelmingly strong" work as well?

EDIT: Somewhat related, but does 強橫 *always* have a negative implication, similar to perhaps "savage" or "uncontrolled" rather than a neutral "strong"?

**Tags:** translation, meaning

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Put the sentence where the phrase is used. Strength cannot be unreasonable per se, but its application certainly can.  
> **username_2**: 强 = non-negotiable, brutal, oppressive. 横 = rude, unreasonable. It's metaphorical when used on inanimate concepts just like 'merciless' in English.  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-08-16. Score: 1

zdic says 强横: 骄横跋扈;强硬蛮横。亦指这样的人.

亦指这样的人 is not very clear. I suspect what it means is that in addition to functioning as a modifier (brutal and unreasonable), 强横 can also function as a nominal by itself (a brutal and unreasonable person). It doesn't give an example of this, however.

强横 refers to a type of person, or perhaps actions or policies that people implement. I don't think it could refer to something inanimate, or even an animal.

zdic glosses 横 as 'unreasonable'. 横 refers to someone who goes straight ahead without following a road or path (reason or morality).

I also don't think 强 really means strong here; it is more like the 强 in 強盜 'robber'. The MOE 國語辭典 defines this sense of 强 as 橫暴.

In any case, 强横 is never going to be neutral, just like 霸道 or 講理 are not neutral. Someone who is 强横 is a bad guy.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: "It doesn't give an example of this, however." it actually did, right on the zdic page:《四库全书总目·别集二三·怀麓堂集》：“ 东阳 如衰 周 弱 鲁 ，力不足御强横，……”  
> **username_3**: Oops. I see it now. Also in《后汉书·鲍永传》诛彊横而镇抚其餘  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2015-09-15. Score: 0

强横 as a noun referring to a brutal persion is an old Chinese expression. In modern Chinese, it often is used as a modifier.


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### Answer by username_5 on 2015-09-21. Score: 0

I didn't see it reasonable to put 强横 in front of 实力 (strength, power), for 强横 is nearly always used to describe a PERSON, not an inanimate thing. The examples used by NS.X. and wpt are all from ancient contexts, and this word is used as a noun, meaning "something that is strong and brutal". This usage is very common in thousands of years ago, not today.   
In today's context, the following expression are used:   
他很强横。(He is quite rude and unreasonable.)  
Thus 强横 is only used to modify a person.   
And, as you can see from the translation, 强横 is definitely negative, even more negative than its ancient meaning.


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