痛恨 is a compound verb meaning 'to detest' or 'to abhor' — expressing intense, deep-seated hatred, often rooted in moral outrage, personal injury, or injustice. The first character 痛 (tòng) literally means 'pain' or 'ache', suggesting emotional or physical suffering; the second character 恨 (hèn) means 'to hate' or 'to bear a grudge'. Together, they convey hatred so strong it feels painful — not just dislike, but visceral, principled revulsion.

This word is commonly used in formal writing, news reports, and serious speech — for example, condemning corruption, cruelty, or betrayal. It’s stronger than 讨厌 (tǎoyàn, 'to dislike') and more morally charged than 憎恨 (zēnghèn, 'to hate'), though the two are close in intensity. 痛恨 is rarely used lightly or humorously; it implies sincerity and gravity, and is often paired with nouns like 腐败 (fǔbài, 'corruption'), 不公 (bùgōng, 'injustice'), or 欺骗 (qīpiàn, 'deception').