作恶多端
zuò è duō duān
to commit all kinds of evil
Character by character
作zuò
do
do
恶è
evil
evil
多duō
many
many
端duān
kinds
kinds
Example
这个团伙作恶多端，警方追查了三年，终于把他们一网打尽。
The gang had committed every kind of crime, and after three years of pursuit the police finally rounded them all up.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
Of gangs, tyrants and villains in stories; written and fairly formal. Often followed by its outcome: 作恶多端，终有报应 or 作恶多端的人没有好下场.
Learn this in Lesson 248 · HSK 9+: 城隍与阎王 (City gods and the king of hell)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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