Meanings of 恶劣
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Podcast: 恶劣
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AI Study Notes for 恶劣
恶劣 (èliè) vs 糟糕 (zāogāo): Use 恶劣 for extreme unpleasantness or moral negativity, while 糟糕 refers more generally to something being bad or in poor condition.
Be cautious using 恶劣 in formal contexts; it often conveys strong negative emotions and can come off as overly harsh. It's commonly used in phrases like '恶劣的天气' (bad weather) or '恶劣的行为' (nasty behavior). Remember to use the correct tones to avoid confusion; the first character is pronounced with a falling tone.
As an HSK Level 5 word, 恶劣 connects with other descriptive adjectives that express opinions or qualities. Students should practice using it in sentences to describe situations or behaviors. Focus on contexts where you can contrast it with more positive adjectives.
Learners often confuse 恶劣 with 恶性 (evil nature) and use them interchangeably; however, 恶劣 specifically refers to poor quality or unpleasantness. For example, saying '他的恶性行为' (his vile behavior) is incorrect when you mean 'his nasty behavior' — use 恶劣 instead.
Pronunciation of 恶劣
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Component Characters
How to say vile in Chinese
“vile” in Chinese is恶劣
The term 恶劣 (è liè) describes something that is extremely unpleasant, nasty, or of very poor quality. It can refer to both moral character, such as a vicious person, and to conditions, like bad weather or inferior goods. It is often used to emphasize the severity of the negativity being described.
When to use 恶劣
Be cautious using 恶劣 in formal contexts; it often conveys strong negative emotions and can come off as overly harsh. It's commonly used in phrases like '恶劣的天气' (bad weather) or '恶劣的行为' (nasty behavior). Remember to use the correct tones to avoid confusion; the first character is pronounced with a falling tone.
恶劣 or something close to it
恶劣 (èliè) vs 糟糕 (zāogāo): Use 恶劣 for extreme unpleasantness or moral negativity, while 糟糕 refers more generally to something being bad or in poor condition.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 恶劣 with 恶性 (evil nature) and use them interchangeably; however, 恶劣 specifically refers to poor quality or unpleasantness. For example, saying '他的恶性行为' (his vile behavior) is incorrect when you mean 'his nasty behavior' — use 恶劣 instead.
Write 恶劣
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Practice writing 恶劣 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 恶劣
恶劣 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 3 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.
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因天气____，航班全部取消。
Due to severe weather, all flights have been cancelled.
Example Sentences for 恶劣 (10)
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Frequently Asked Questions about 恶劣
Yes, you can use 恶劣 to describe food that is of very poor quality or tastes bad, such as '这道菜味道恶劣' (this dish tastes awful).
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