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March 24, 2026
严重(嚴重)yánzhòng(yan2zhong4)
严重 (yán zhòng) means grave, serious, or severe, often describing conditions or situations that are critical and require immediate attention. It is commonly used in both medical contexts and everyday life situations to emphasize the seriousness of an issue.
Strokes16Frequency#976DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the use of serious language is often reserved for discussions about health, safety, or social issues, reflecting the value placed on collective well-being. The gravity of a situation is frequently communicated through this term in both media and personal conversations.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person weighing down with heavy weights labeled 'serious' and 'grave.' The character 严 (yán) has a radical that resembles a roof, suggesting something serious is 'under' it, while 重 (zhòng) means 'heavy.' Together, they evoke the image of a serious burden.
Meanings of 严重
yánzhòng(yan2zhong4)
1grave
2serious
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About 严重
严重Simplified
嚴重Traditional
16Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#976Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 严重
Podcast: 严重
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AI Study Notes for 严重
Quick Contrast
严重 (yán zhòng) vs 严厉 (yán lì) — use 严重 for serious conditions, while 严厉 refers to strictness or severity in behavior.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 严重 with other similar terms like 严厉 (yánlì, strict) or 严肃 (yánsù, solemn), which refer to strictness and seriousness in demeanor rather than the severity of a situation. This term is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but avoid using it for light-hearted situations.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 4 word, 严重 connects well with other adjectives describing conditions or states. Focus on combining it with verbs like 'to be' (是, shì) or 'to feel' (感觉, gǎnjué) for practical sentence construction.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 严重 by applying it to situations that are not critical. For example, saying '我今天很严重' (Wǒ jīntiān hěn yánzhòng - I am very serious today) is incorrect; a better phrase would be '我今天很忙' (Wǒ jīntiān hěn máng - I am very busy today).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 严重
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严重 (yán zhòng) means grave, serious, or severe, often describing conditions or situations that are critical and require immediate attention. It is commonly used in both medical contexts and everyday life situations to emphasize the seriousness of an issue.
When to use 严重
Be cautious not to confuse 严重 with other similar terms like 严厉 (yánlì, strict) or 严肃 (yánsù, solemn), which refer to strictness and seriousness in demeanor rather than the severity of a situation. This term is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but avoid using it for light-hearted situations.
严重 or something close to it
严重 (yán zhòng) vs 严厉 (yán lì) — use 严重 for serious conditions, while 严厉 refers to strictness or severity in behavior.
What learners get wrong
Learners often misuse 严重 by applying it to situations that are not critical. For example, saying '我今天很严重' (Wǒ jīntiān hěn yánzhòng - I am very serious today) is incorrect; a better phrase would be '我今天很忙' (Wǒ jīntiān hěn máng - I am very busy today).
Write 严重
严
重
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Grammar Patterns of 严重
严重 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
