<p>prusswan's answer is great.I just want  to make a supplement . 厉害 can be a noun and means</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>harsh(or severe) means(or way,manoeuvre,measure,etc.)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>看来我得让你看看我的厉害。
  <em>It seems that I should make you know my severe means.</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>This is a warning to the listener that you will do something bad to him.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-05T14:19:56.533Z
You have an example sentence of when it is a noun?
Lars Andren
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-05T14:37:19.870Z
@LarsAndren Ok, I added an example to the answer.
Huang
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-05T15:24:28.610Z
Very interesting example! Two excellent answers, wish I could choose both as the correct answer.
Lars Andren
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-05T15:33:05.660Z
@LarsAndren You may suggest this on meta. Well, just kidding. I think prusswan's answer is better since it's more comprehensive. For me, the up-vote is enough.
Huang
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-05T13:00:50.463Z
2012-01-05T14:39:10.473Z
2012-01-05T14:39:10.473Z
Huang
<p>An idiomatic English translation of 厉害 might be something like "beast" or "monster." Such a person might be "very capable." Or else overly harsh, strict, or overbearing. But basically "out of control."</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-29T23:55:43.107Z
2012-01-29T23:55:43.107Z
Tom Au
<p>厉害 can also mean quite a few things when describing a person and relies heavily on the context. For example the sentence:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>他是很厉害</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Has numerous possibilities and it would be wrong to assume something without further explanation.</p>

<p>Some examples:</p>

<ul>
<li>This person is very strict or harsh</li>
<li>This person has a sharp personality</li>
<li>This person is very skillful / capable</li>
</ul>

<p>The same with the use of 太厉害. This could have a positive or negative connotation. It could describe someone who is amazingly skillful or someone that is overly strict. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-08T13:39:47.660Z
This is exactly the kind of ambiguity I was talking about. Great addition
Lars Andren
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-05T22:45:25.117Z
2012-01-05T22:45:25.117Z
going
<p>'厲害' could be either 'Well/Good/impressive' or 'serious'.</p>

<p>Example:
'好厲害!' -- 'Impressive/Good/Well done!'.<br>
'也病的太厲害了吧' -- 'Well, but, ain't that a kinda serious sick?'.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-02T10:39:53.773Z
2014-08-02T10:39:53.773Z
Steve Fan
<p>I have been quite busy preparing for my Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) exam, a Mandarin certification exam held twice annually. There are five levels and I started from the third level. <a href="http://vivitranslation.com/interpreting/beijing-interpreting.html" rel="nofollow">Translator in Beijing</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-05T05:19:14.520Z
Lovely answer to another question.
Lars Andren
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-14T06:33:51.490Z
2014-05-14T06:33:51.490Z
user4552
<p>It is somewhat similar in usage to the word <code>great</code> in English, with the following meanings I can recall:</p>
<p><strong>Impressive</strong> or <strong>skilled</strong>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>他的功夫非常厉害。= <em>He is very skilled in martial arts.</em></p>
<p>太厉害了，他是怎么做到的？ = <em>Very impressive, how did he manage to achieve that?</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>formidable</strong>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>厉害的角色 = <em>A formidable figure (not one to be messed around with)</em></p>
<p>厉害的手段 = <em>formidable tactics (in a sporting game, or as part of political intrigue)</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>severe</strong>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>某某股跌得太厉害了 = <em>Stock X has taken a severe fall (in value)</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>However, 厉害 is not usually the phrase/word of choice to describe a performance (of the arts).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-05T14:47:03.427Z
I think when 厉害 is used to describe the performance, it means "to be skillful to do, to be good at something, as you mentioned. I would say "他的三分球很厉害" *He is good at three-point shot* (as in basketball).
Huang
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-06T12:03:40.733Z
That is true but I have this feeling that it is turning into an often-abused word (just like `great` and `like` in English) used by people are unable or too lazy to think of a more appropriate word.
prusswan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-05T11:55:09.597Z
2012-01-06T12:01:50.440Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
prusswan
<p>This has to be one of the more ambiguous words I have struggled with.</p>

<p>厉害 can be:</p>

<ul>
<li><em>very well performed</em> = 玩得很厉害;</li>
<li><em>harsh</em> = 骂得很厉害;</li>
<li><em>severe</em> = 生病得很厉害;</li>
<li>probably a bunch of other stuff...</li>
</ul>

<p>Can anyone give a comprehensive summary of the meanings and related contexts?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-05T11:22:49.527Z
not ambiguous, just too many meanings (like the words `great`, `like` if you look up their entries in a dictionary) :p
prusswan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-10T04:09:29.813Z
Don't forget that 厉害 can be easily confused with 利害 which sounds exactly the same and means `pros and cons`
TiansHUo
<mandarin><expressions><meaning>
What does 厉害 mean, and in what context does it mean what?
# What does 厉害 mean, and in what context does it mean what?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-01-05)

This has to be one of the more ambiguous words I have struggled with.

厉害 can be:

* *very well performed* = 玩得很厉害;
* *harsh* = 骂得很厉害;
* *severe* = 生病得很厉害;
* probably a bunch of other stuff...

Can anyone give a comprehensive summary of the meanings and related contexts?

**Tags:** mandarin, expressions, meaning

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: not ambiguous, just too many meanings (like the words `great`, `like` if you look up their entries in a dictionary) :p  
> **username_2**: Don't forget that 厉害 can be easily confused with 利害 which sounds exactly the same and means `pros and cons`  

---

## 6 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-01-05. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

It is somewhat similar in usage to the word `great` in English, with the following meanings I can recall:

**Impressive** or **skilled**:

> 他的功夫非常厉害。= *He is very skilled in martial arts.*
>
> 太厉害了，他是怎么做到的？ = *Very impressive, how did he manage to achieve that?*

**formidable**:

> 厉害的角色 = *A formidable figure (not one to be messed around with)*
>
> 厉害的手段 = *formidable tactics (in a sporting game, or as part of political intrigue)*

**severe**:

> 某某股跌得太厉害了 = *Stock X has taken a severe fall (in value)*

However, 厉害 is not usually the phrase/word of choice to describe a performance (of the arts).

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I think when 厉害 is used to describe the performance, it means "to be skillful to do, to be good at something, as you mentioned. I would say "他的三分球很厉害" *He is good at three-point shot* (as in basketball).  
> **username_1**: That is true but I have this feeling that it is turning into an often-abused word (just like `great` and `like` in English) used by people are unable or too lazy to think of a more appropriate word.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2012-01-05. Score: 3

username_1's answer is great.I just want to make a supplement . 厉害 can be a noun and means

> harsh(or severe) means(or way,manoeuvre,measure,etc.)

Example:

> 看来我得让你看看我的厉害。
> *It seems that I should make you know my severe means.*

This is a warning to the listener that you will do something bad to him.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: You have an example sentence of when it is a noun?  
> **username_3**: @username_0 Ok, I added an example to the answer.  
> **username_0**: Very interesting example! Two excellent answers, wish I could choose both as the correct answer.  
> **username_3**: @username_0 You may suggest this on meta. Well, just kidding. I think username_1's answer is better since it's more comprehensive. For me, the up-vote is enough.  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2012-01-29. Score: 2

An idiomatic English translation of 厉害 might be something like "beast" or "monster." Such a person might be "very capable." Or else overly harsh, strict, or overbearing. But basically "out of control."


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2012-01-05. Score: 2

厉害 can also mean quite a few things when describing a person and relies heavily on the context. For example the sentence:

> 他是很厉害

Has numerous possibilities and it would be wrong to assume something without further explanation.

Some examples:

* This person is very strict or harsh
* This person has a sharp personality
* This person is very skillful / capable

The same with the use of 太厉害. This could have a positive or negative connotation. It could describe someone who is amazingly skillful or someone that is overly strict.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: This is exactly the kind of ambiguity I was talking about. Great addition  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2014-08-02. Score: 2

'厲害' could be either 'Well/Good/impressive' or 'serious'.

Example:
'好厲害!' -- 'Impressive/Good/Well done!'.  
'也病的太厲害了吧' -- 'Well, but, ain't that a kinda serious sick?'.


---

### Answer by username_7 on 2014-05-14. Score: -1

I have been quite busy preparing for my Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) exam, a Mandarin certification exam held twice annually. There are five levels and I started from the third level. [Translator in Beijing](http://vivitranslation.com/interpreting/beijing-interpreting.html)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Lovely answer to another question.  

---

