yánzhòng: 严重 - Serious, Severe, Grave

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• Summary: Learn the meaning and usage of 严重 (yánzhòng), the essential Chinese adjective for describing a “serious” or “severe” situation. This guide breaks down the characters, provides cultural context, and offers 10 practical example sentences to help you understand how to talk about serious problems, illnesses, and consequences in Mandarin Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yánzhòng
• Part of Speech: Adjective
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: Serious, severe, or grave, typically describing a negative situation.
• In a Nutshell: 严重 (yánzhòng) is your go-to word when a problem, illness, or mistake has escalated beyond a minor issue. It carries a heavy, negative weight, signaling that a situation demands immediate attention. Think of it as the opposite of “minor” or “trivial.”

• 严 (yán): This character means “strict,” “stern,” or “tight.” Think of a teacher who is very strict (`严格 - yángé`). It implies a lack of leniency or ease.
• 重 (zhòng): This character means “heavy” or “weighty.” It's the same character used in `重量 (zhòngliàng)` (weight). (Note: This character is pronounced `chóng` when it means “again” or “to repeat”).

When combined, 严重 (yánzhòng) literally translates to “strict-heavy” or “stern-heavy.” This paints a picture of a situation that is both unyieldingly difficult (strict) and carries significant weight (heavy), perfectly capturing the meaning of “serious” or “severe.”

While “serious” is a universal concept, the usage of 严重 (yánzhòng) has a specific nuance compared to its English counterpart. In English, “serious” can describe a person's personality (“He's a very serious person”). You cannot use 严重 (yánzhòng) this way. It is almost exclusively used to describe situations, conditions, or consequences. To describe a “serious person” (as in, not-joking, stern), you would use the word `严肃 (yánsù)`. Culturally, labeling a situation as 严重 is a clear signal to stop treating it lightly. In a communication style that can sometimes be indirect, using 严重 removes ambiguity. If a colleague tells you, `这个问题很严重 (zhège wèntí hěn yánzhòng)`, they are not just making an observation; they are formally flagging a major issue that requires immediate and focused action. It elevates the importance and urgency of the matter.

严重 (yánzhòng) is a common word used in both formal and informal contexts, but always to describe negative things. You'll hear it in the news, at the doctor's office, in business meetings, and in personal conversations about problems.

• Health: Describing the severity of an illness or injury. (e.g., `病情严重` - a severe medical condition)
• Social/Environmental Issues: Talking about pollution, traffic, or economic problems. (e.g., `污染严重` - severe pollution)
• Mistakes and Consequences: Emphasizing the gravity of an error or its outcome. (e.g., `后果严重` - severe consequences)
• Damage: Assessing the extent of damage after an accident or disaster. (e.g., `损坏严重` - severely damaged)

It's almost always used with an adverb like `很 (hěn)`, `非常 (fēicháng)`, or `相当 (xiāngdāng)` to intensify it.

• Example 1:
  • 他的病很严重，需要马上住院。
  • Pinyin: Tā de bìng hěn yánzhòng, xūyào mǎshàng zhùyuàn.
  • English: His illness is very serious; he needs to be hospitalized immediately.
  • Analysis: A classic example of using 严重 to describe the severity of a medical condition.
• Example 2:
  • 交通堵塞很严重，我可能会迟到。
  • Pinyin: Jiāotōng dǔsè hěn yánzhòng, wǒ kěnéng huì chídào.
  • English: The traffic jam is serious, I might be late.
  • Analysis: Here, 严重 describes a common daily problem, showing its versatility.
• Example 3:
  • 你犯了一个严重的错误。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ fànle yí ge yánzhòng de cuòwù.
  • English: You've made a serious mistake.
  • Analysis: The structure `严重的 + noun` is very common. Here, `的 (de)` connects the adjective to the noun `错误 (cuòwù)` (mistake).
• Example 4:
  • 如果我们现在不行动，后果会很严重。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ wǒmen xiànzài bù xíngdòng, hòuguǒ huì hěn yánzhòng.
  • English: If we don't act now, the consequences will be very severe.
  • Analysis: 严重 is frequently paired with `后果 (hòuguǒ)` (consequences) to deliver a warning.
• Example 5:
  • 这个地区的空气污染越来越严重了。
  • Pinyin: Zhège dìqū de kōngqì wūrǎn yuèláiyuè yánzhòng le.
  • English: The air pollution in this area is getting more and more serious.
  • Analysis: The `越来越 (yuèláiyuè)` structure shows a worsening trend, which 严重 aptly describes.
• Example 6:
  • 情况有那么严重吗？
  • Pinyin: Qíngkuàng yǒu nàme yánzhòng ma?
  • English: Is the situation that serious?
  • Analysis: A useful question to ask for clarification, showing how 严重 can be used in an interrogative sentence.
• Example 7:
  • 由于缺乏降雨，当地的干旱十分严重。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú quēfá jiàngyǔ, dāngdì de gānhàn shífēn yánzhòng.
  • English: Due to the lack of rain, the local drought is extremely severe.
  • Analysis: `十分 (shífēn)` is a more formal and stronger adverb than `很 (hěn)`, often used in written or news contexts.
• Example 8:
  • 他严重违反了公司规定。
  • Pinyin: Tā yánzhòng wéifǎnle gōngsī guīdìng.
  • English: He seriously violated the company's rules.
  • Analysis: Here, 严重 is used as an adverb modifying the verb `违反 (wéifǎn)` (to violate). Sometimes `地 (de)` is added (`严重地`), but it's often omitted in modern Chinese.
• Example 9:
  • 地震对这座城市造成了严重的破坏。
  • Pinyin: Dìzhèn duì zhè zuò chéngshì zàochéngle yánzhòng de pòhuài.
  • English: The earthquake caused severe damage to the city.
  • Analysis: Paired with `破坏 (pòhuài)` (damage/destruction), 严重 effectively communicates the scale of a disaster.
• Example 10:
  • 不要把这个问题看得太严重，我们能解决。
  • Pinyin: Búyào bǎ zhège wèntí kàn de tài yánzhòng, wǒmen néng jiějué.
  • English: Don't view this problem as too serious; we can solve it.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows the opposite usage—downplaying a situation by negating 严重.

The most common mistake for English speakers is a “false friend” error: using 严重 (yánzhòng) to describe a person's personality.

• INCORRECT: 他是一个很严重的人。 (Tā shì yí ge hěn yánzhòng de rén.)
  • Why it's wrong: This literally sounds like “He is a very severe/grave person,” as if he himself is a walking problem or disaster. It's nonsensical.
• CORRECT: 他是一个很严肃的人。 (Tā shì yí ge hěn yánsù de rén.)
  • Why it's right: `严肃 (yánsù)` specifically means “stern” or “serious” in demeanor. It describes someone who doesn't joke around much and has a formal, stern face.

Rule of thumb:

• Is it a negative situation, condition, or consequence? Use 严重 (yánzhòng).
• Is it a person's personality or demeanor? Use 严肃 (yánsù).

• 严肃 (yánsù) - A key distinction. Refers to a person's stern, serious, and not-joking demeanor.
• 厉害 (lìhai) - Can sometimes mean “severe” (e.g., `咳嗽得很厉害` - coughing severely), but is much broader. It can also mean “awesome,” “amazing,” or “fierce.” 严重 is more formal and always negative.
• 重大 (zhòngdà) - Means “major,” “significant,” or “important.” Unlike 严重, it can be neutral or positive. A `重大发现` is a “major discovery” (good), while a `严重问题` is a “serious problem” (bad).
• 严峻 (yánjùn) - A more formal, literary synonym for “severe” or “grim.” Often used to describe challenges, tests, or situations (e.g., `形势严峻` - the situation is grim).
• 后果 (hòuguǒ) - A noun meaning “consequences” or “aftermath,” often modified by 严重.
• 问题 (wèntí) - A noun meaning “problem” or “question,” often modified by 严重.
• 情况 (qíngkuàng) - A noun meaning “situation” or “circumstances,” often modified by 严重.
• 糟糕 (zāogāo) - An adjective meaning “terrible” or “what a mess.” It's more of an emotional exclamation about a bad situation, whereas 严重 is a more objective assessment of its severity.