故意 gù yì
“deliberately; on purpose”
adverb, attributiveHSK 4 · 2021 list level 2
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
故意 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 1266: 故意 gùyì — Level 4; official annotation 4 (副). PDF page 111
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 故意
故意 means "deliberately" or "on purpose." It is used when someone does something intentionally, often something the speaker sees as unkind or wrong. It is an adverb, so it normally comes before the verb: 故意 + verb. It is also common in the phrase 不是故意的 ("didn't mean to").
例句Example sentences
- 对不起，我不是故意的。duì bù qǐ, wǒ bú shì gù yì de.Sorry, I didn't do it on purpose.
- 他故意把声音开得很大，吵得大家睡不着。tā gù yì bǎ shēng yīn kāi de hěn dà, chǎo de dà jiā shuì bù zhe.He deliberately turned the volume up loud, making everyone unable to sleep.
- 你明知道我不喜欢，还故意这样做吗？nǐ míng zhī dao wǒ bù xǐ huan, hái gù yì zhè yàng zuò ma?You knew I didn't like it—are you doing it on purpose?
常见错误Common mistakes
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✗他迟到了故意。
✓他故意迟到了。
故意 is an adverb and must come before the verb phrase, not after it.