恶意 (è yì) is a noun meaning 'malicious intent' — the deliberate desire to harm, deceive, or cause trouble for others. It combines 恶 (è), meaning 'evil' or 'wicked', and 意 (yì), meaning 'intention' or 'will'. Together, they express a harmful mental state rather than just bad behavior — it’s about the underlying motive, not the action itself.

This word appears frequently in legal, ethical, and everyday contexts when judging someone’s motives: for example, accusing someone of acting with 恶意 implies they knew their actions would hurt others and chose them anyway. It’s stronger than mere rudeness or carelessness; it suggests conscious ill will. While it can describe individuals, it’s also used for systems, algorithms, or anonymous online behavior where harmful purpose is inferred — such as 'malicious software' (恶意软件) or 'malicious rumors' (恶意谣言).