妨害 (fáng hài) is a verb meaning 'to harm', 'to damage', or 'to impede'—especially in contexts where something negatively interferes with health, safety, rights, or normal functioning. The character 妨 means 'to hinder' or 'to obstruct', while 害 means 'to harm' or 'to injure'; together, they form a compound emphasizing active, often avoidable, detrimental interference. It’s commonly used in formal, written, or regulatory language—such as public health notices, legal documents, or environmental reports—not in casual daily speech.

This word carries a moderately serious tone and typically implies that the harm is preventable or stems from negligence, violation of rules, or harmful behavior. It frequently appears in collocations like 妨害健康 (fáng hài jiànkāng, 'harms health'), 妨害公共秩序 (fáng hài gōnggòng zhìxù, 'disrupts public order'), or 妨害他人 (fáng hài tārén, 'harms others'). Unlike more general verbs like 伤害 (shānghài), 妨害 focuses on obstruction or impairment rather than physical injury alone.