biànzhì: 变质 - To Spoil, Go Bad, Deteriorate

• Keywords: 变质, bianzhi, Chinese for spoil, Chinese for go bad, food gone bad in Chinese, deteriorate in Chinese, character degeneration, relationship gone sour, learn Chinese, HSK 5 vocabulary.
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 变质 (biànzhì), a versatile Chinese word used to describe something that has 'gone bad' or 'spoiled'. While commonly used for food, this term is also powerfully applied to describe the deterioration of abstract things like relationships, a person's character, or a situation. This guide will break down its literal and figurative uses, helping you understand how this simple concept of “changing quality” plays a significant role in everyday Chinese communication.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): biànzhì
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To change in quality for the worse; to spoil, go bad, or deteriorate.
• In a Nutshell: At its heart, 变质 (biànzhì) is about a negative transformation. Think of fresh milk turning sour. That's the most basic meaning. But the real power of this word comes from its application to non-physical things. A friendship can 变质 when it turns from supportive to toxic. A person's morals can 变质 when they become corrupt. The core idea is that something once good has fundamentally changed its nature and become bad.

• 变 (biàn): To change, to transform, or to become different. It signifies a shift from one state to another.
• 质 (zhì): Quality, substance, or essential nature. It refers to the intrinsic character of a person or thing.

When combined, 变质 (biànzhì) literally means “to change quality.” Since it's not specified whether the change is for the better or worse, the cultural context has firmly established it as an exclusively negative transformation.

The concept of 变质 (biànzhì) taps into a deep-seated cultural awareness of change and the importance of maintaining integrity, or 质 (zhì). While every culture understands that food spoils, the frequent application of 变质 to human character and relationships is notable in Chinese. In Western cultures, one might say a person “lost their way” or “became corrupt.” These phrases often imply an external influence or a series of bad choices. 变质, however, feels more internal. It suggests that the person's fundamental substance—their 质 (zhì)—has rotten from the inside. This reflects a cultural perspective, influenced by philosophies like Confucianism, where maintaining one's moral character is a core responsibility. To say someone has 变质了 (biànzhì le) is a severe condemnation, implying they have failed not just in their actions, but in preserving their own good nature. It's not just that they did a bad thing; it's that they became a bad thing.

变质 is a common word used in various contexts, from the kitchen to serious moral discussions. Its connotation is always negative.

• Literal Use (Food and Materials): This is the most common and straightforward usage. It's a neutral, factual description of spoilage.
  • “牛奶好像变质了。” (The milk seems to have spoiled.)
• Figurative Use (Relationships and Feelings): Used to describe friendships, romantic love, or family ties that have turned sour, bitter, or toxic. It carries a sad or regretful connotation.
  • “我们多年的友谊已经变质了。” (Our friendship of many years has deteriorated.)
• Figurative Use (Character and Morality): This is the most severe usage. It describes a person who has become morally corrupt, greedy, or has abandoned their principles. It's a strong and critical judgment.
  • “当了官以后，他整个人都变质了。” (After becoming an official, he completely degenerated as a person.)
• Figurative Use (Situations and Meanings): It can also describe an event, activity, or discussion that has lost its original, positive purpose and become something negative.
  • “这场原本友好的比赛后来变质了，充满了火药味。” (This originally friendly match later degenerated and was full of tension.)

• Example 1:
  • 这牛奶闻起来酸酸的，是不是变质了？
  • Pinyin: Zhè niúnǎi wén qǐlái suānsuān de, shì bu shì biànzhì le?
  • English: This milk smells a bit sour. Has it gone bad?
  • Analysis: A very common, everyday question. This is the most literal and frequent use of the term.
• Example 2:
  • 夏天天气热，食物很容易变质。
  • Pinyin: Xiàtiān tiānqì rè, shíwù hěn róngyì biànzhì.
  • English: Food spoils easily in the hot summer weather.
  • Analysis: A general statement of fact. Here, 变质 is used as a standard verb for food spoilage.
• Example 3:
  • 我觉得我们的友谊从他借钱不还开始就变质了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ juéde wǒmen de yǒuyì cóng tā jiè qián bù huán kāishǐ jiù biànzhì le.
  • English: I feel like our friendship started to deteriorate when he borrowed money and didn't pay it back.
  • Analysis: A classic example of the figurative use for relationships. The friendship's “quality” changed from good to bad.
• Example 4:
  • 很多人认为，他当上大老板后就变质了，不再关心老朋友。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō rén rènwéi, tā dāng shàng dà lǎobǎn hòu jiù biànzhì le, bù zài guānxīn lǎo péngyou.
  • English: Many people think that after he became a big boss, his character degenerated, and he no longer cared about his old friends.
  • Analysis: This is a strong judgment about a person's moral character. It implies he used to be a good person before money and power changed him.
• Example 5:
  • 这份爱已经变质，我们还是分手吧。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn ài yǐjīng biànzhì, wǒmen háishì fēnshǒu ba.
  • English: This love has already soured; we should just break up.
  • Analysis: A sad and definitive statement used in the context of a romantic relationship that has turned bad.
• Example 6:
  • 这场会议的初衷是解决问题，但最后变质成了相互指责的闹剧。
  • Pinyin: Zhè chǎng huìyì de chūzhōng shì jiějué wèntí, dàn zuìhòu biànzhì chéng le xiānghù zhǐzé de nàojù.
  • English: The original intention of this meeting was to solve problems, but it ultimately degenerated into a farce of mutual accusation.
  • Analysis: Shows how an event or situation can 变质. The nature of the meeting itself changed for the worse.
• Example 7:
  • 为了防止肉类变质，我们必须把它放进冰箱。
  • Pinyin: Wèile fángzhǐ ròulèi biànzhì, wǒmen bìxū bǎ tā fàng jìn bīngxiāng.
  • English: To prevent the meat from spoiling, we have to put it in the refrigerator.
  • Analysis: A practical instruction, again highlighting the common use related to food preservation.
• Example 8:
  • 他是一个不会因为权力而变质的人。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì yí ge bù huì yīnwèi quánlì ér biànzhì de rén.
  • English: He is the kind of person who won't be corrupted by power.
  • Analysis: This example uses 变质 in the negative to praise someone's strong moral character and integrity.
• Example 9:
  • 曾经的理想主义者，如今也变质成了唯利是图的商人。
  • Pinyin: Céngjīng de lǐxiǎng zhǔyì zhě, rújīn yě biànzhì chéng le wéilìshìtú de shāngrén.
  • English: Once an idealist, he has now degenerated into a profit-seeking businessman.
  • Analysis: A very critical and literary way to describe someone's fall from their ideals. The contrast makes the meaning of 变质 even stronger.
• Example 10:
  • 有时候，善意也会变质，带来意想不到的坏结果。
  • Pinyin: Yǒu shíhou, shànyì yě huì biànzhì, dàilái yìxiǎngbùdào de huài jiéguǒ.
  • English: Sometimes, even good intentions can go sour and lead to unexpectedly bad results.
  • Analysis: This shows the term's flexibility, applying it to a completely abstract concept like “good intentions.”

• Exclusively Negative: A common mistake for learners is to think 变质 simply means “change quality.” It only means to change for the worse. For a positive change or improvement, you should use words like 改善 (gǎishàn - to improve) or 提高 (tígāo - to raise, to enhance).
  • Incorrect: 这个产品变质了，现在比以前更好。 (This product has 'bianzhi-ed', it's better than before.)
  • Correct: 这个产品改进了，现在比以前更好。 (This product has improved, it's better than before.)
• 变质 (biànzhì) vs. 坏了 (huàile):
  • For food, 变质了 and 坏了 (huàile) are often interchangeable. Both mean “it's gone bad.”
  • However, 坏了 is a much broader term meaning “broken” or “bad.” You can say a TV is 坏了 (broken), but not 变质了.
  • For people, the difference is significant. 他坏了 (tā huàile) is a simple, almost childish way of saying “he is bad.” But 他变质了 (tā biànzhì le) carries the much deeper meaning that “he used to be good, but has since degenerated.” It emphasizes the process of negative change.

• 腐烂 (fǔlàn) - To rot, decompose. More physical and graphic than 变质. Used for organic matter like fruit or wood.
• 腐败 (fǔbài) - Corrupt; corruption. This is a specific type of moral 变质, almost exclusively used for people in power, especially government officials. It's more formal and specific.
• 恶化 (èhuà) - To worsen, deteriorate. Often used for situations, medical conditions, or the economy. 恶化 focuses on a process of getting worse, while 变质 focuses on the fundamental nature changing.
• 变坏 (biànhuài) - To turn bad. A more colloquial and direct synonym for 变质, especially when describing a person (e.g., a child who starts misbehaving).
• 堕落 (duòluò) - To degenerate, to fall from grace. A very strong, moralistic term implying a fall into vice or depravity. It's more dramatic than 变质.
• 过期 (guòqī) - To expire, to be past the due date. This refers to a date on a label. Food can be 过期 without having 变质 yet, and vice versa.
• 变心 (biànxīn) - To have a change of heart; to be unfaithful. A very specific type of relationship 变质, referring to one person's feelings changing, often leading to infidelity.