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恶化 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
恶化èhuàto worsenHSK 7, v, 14 strokes, rank #5714, Very Hard
èhuà(e4hua4)e hua T4
  1. 1to worsen
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March 24, 2026

恶化(惡化)èhuà(e4hua4)

恶化 (e4 hua4) means 'to worsen' or 'to deteriorate,' typically used in contexts related to health, situations, or conditions. This verb conveys a negative change, emphasizing a decline from a previously better state. It's often used in discussions about environmental issues, economic conditions, or personal relationships.

Strokes14Frequency#5714DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In discussions about environmental issues in China, the term 恶化 is often used to describe air quality deterioration, reflecting the country's ongoing struggle with pollution and its impact on public health.

Memory tip

Think of 恶 (e4) as a 'nasty' face and 化 (hua4) as 'change.' Imagine a nasty face that changes from happy to sad, symbolizing a worsening situation. The '恶' part looks like a face frowning, reminding you of deterioration.

Meanings of 恶化

èhuà(e4hua4)
1to worsen
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 恶化

恶化Simplified
惡化Traditional
14Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#5714Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 恶化

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Podcast: 恶化

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AI study notes for 恶化

Quick Contrast

恶化 (worsen) vs 下降 (decline) — use 恶化 for a negative change in condition, while 下降 implies a decrease in level or quantity.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 恶化 with 增加 (zeng1 jia1), which means 'to increase.' Remember that 恶化 specifically implies a negative change. It is generally used in formal contexts, so be mindful of your audience when using it.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 恶化 connects with other vocabulary related to change and conditions, such as 改变 (gai3 bian4) meaning 'to change' and 发展 (fa1 zhan3) meaning 'to develop.' Focus on using it in complex sentences to express nuanced thoughts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 恶化 by pairing it with positive outcomes, such as saying '经济恶化导致增长' (The economy worsening leads to growth), which is illogical. Correctly, one would say '经济恶化导致衰退' (The economy worsening leads to decline).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 恶化

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Component characters

恶èto hate
HSK 710 strokes心
View full entry
化huàto make into
HSK 54 strokes匕
View full entry

How to say to worsen in Chinese

“to worsen” in Chinese is恶化èhuà

恶化 (e4 hua4) means 'to worsen' or 'to deteriorate,' typically used in contexts related to health, situations, or conditions. This verb conveys a negative change, emphasizing a decline from a previously better state. It's often used in discussions about environmental issues, economic conditions, or personal relationships.

When to use 恶化

Learners often confuse 恶化 with 增加 (zeng1 jia1), which means 'to increase.' Remember that 恶化 specifically implies a negative change. It is generally used in formal contexts, so be mindful of your audience when using it.

恶化 or something close to it

恶化 (worsen) vs 下降 (decline) — use 恶化 for a negative change in condition, while 下降 implies a decrease in level or quantity.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 恶化 by pairing it with positive outcomes, such as saying '经济恶化导致增长' (The economy worsening leads to growth), which is illogical. Correctly, one would say '经济恶化导致衰退' (The economy worsening leads to decline).

Write 恶化

恶
化

Practice writing 恶化 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 恶化

恶化 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

我们担心稍微颠簸一下就可能会使她的伤势____。

We were worried that one tiny jolt could worsen her injuries.

Example sentences for 恶化 (8)

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1
我们担心稍微颠簸一下就可能会使她的伤势恶化。

wǒmen dānxīn shāowēi diānbǒ yíxià jiù kěnéng huì shǐ tā de shāngshì èhuà。

We were worried that one tiny jolt could worsen her injuries.
2
看着吧,事情在好转之前会先恶化。

kàn zhe ba, shìqing zài hǎozhuǎn zhīqián huì xiān èhuà。

You watch. Things will get worse before they get better.
3
桑给巴尔岛的居民于1964年反抗苏丹统治,随后时局便不断恶化。

Sāng gěi Bā ěr dǎo de jūmín yú1964 nián fǎnkàng sū dān tǒngzhì, suíhòu shí jú biàn búduàn èhuà。

Zanzibar's fortunes declined after the islanders revolted against the sultanate in
4
安全部队不得不介入,以防止局势进一步恶化。

ānquán bùduì bùdébù jièrù, yǐ fángzhǐ júshì jìnyíbù èhuà。

The security forces had to intervene to prevent the situation worsening.
5
他的病情恶化,日甚一日.

tā de bìngqíng èhuà, rì shén yī rì.

His condition steadily deteriorated.
6
她的健康状况急剧恶化,不久便去世了。

tā de jiànkāng zhuàngkuàng jíjù èhuà, bùjiǔ biàn qùshì le。

Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards.
7
这儿的医疗体制使问题进一步恶化。

zhèr de yīliáo tǐzhì shǐ wèntí jìnyíbù èhuà。

The problem is compounded by the medical system here.
8
由于同时缺乏钙而使之恶化.

yóuyú tóngshí quēfá gài ér shǐ zhī èhuà.

They may be exacerbated by a simultaneous deficiency of calcium.

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Frequently asked questions about 恶化

No, 恶化 can be used for any situation that declines, including economic conditions, relationships, and environmental issues.

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