Definition
蛊惑 literally combines 'poisonous insect' (蛊) and 'deceive' (惑). It means to poison someone's mind or tempt them into doing something wrong, often through deceptive or sinister influence. This word carries a strong negative connotation, like 'brainwashing' or 'corrupting'. Common in formal writing and news: 蛊惑人心 ('to stir up trouble / deceive the public').
v.
to seduce or incite someone into wrongdoingto poison someone's mindto bewitch or beguile (into a bad action)
Examples
- 蛊惑，。Zhèxiē yáoyán zài gǔ huò mínzhòng, ràng dàjiā duì zhèngfǔ shīqù xìnrèn.These rumors are poisoning people's minds, making everyone lose trust in the government.
- 蛊惑，。Tā bèi huài péngyou gǔ huò, zǒu shàng le fànzuì de dàolù.He was seduced into evil by bad friends and embarked on a path of crime.
- ，。Nà bù diànyǐng hányǒu gǔ huò rénxīn de qíngjié, zāo dào jìnbō.That movie contained plot elements that poison people's hearts, and it was banned.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.