Keywords: elie, èliè, 恶劣, define 恶劣, 恶劣 meaning, Chinese for bad weather, Chinese for harsh conditions, vile in Chinese, abominable in Chinese, severe conditions, HSK 5 vocabulary
Summary: Learn the powerful Chinese adjective 恶劣 (èliè), a term used to describe conditions, environments, or behaviors that are not just bad, but intensely negative, severe, or morally vile. This page breaks down its meaning, from describing harsh weather and difficult living environments to condemning a person's abominable attitude or despicable actions. Master 恶劣 (èliè) to express strong negative judgment and understand its significant role in modern Chinese.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): èliè
Part of Speech: Adjective
HSK Level: HSK 5
Concise Definition: Describes something as being extremely bad, harsh, vile, or abominable in quality, nature, or condition.
In a Nutshell: Think of 恶劣 (èliè) as a major upgrade from the general word for “bad” (坏, huài). It carries a heavy, serious tone and is reserved for situations or actions that are truly severe or contemptible. You would use it for a dangerous blizzard, not a rainy day. You'd use it to describe a malicious act of betrayal, not a simple mistake. It signifies a very low standard, either in physical conditions or moral character.
Character Breakdown
恶 (è): This character means “evil,” “wicked,” or “fierce.” It's composed of 亚 (yà - second/inferior) over 心 (xīn - heart). A memorable way to understand it is as an “inferior heart,” pointing to bad intentions or evil nature. (Note: This character is also pronounced wù when it means “to hate”.)
劣 (liè): This character means “inferior,” “of poor quality,” or “substandard.” It's a combination of 少 (shǎo - few, little) and 力 (lì - strength). The image of having “little strength” vividly conveys the idea of inferiority or being low-grade.
When you combine 恶 (evil/fierce) and 劣 (inferior/low-grade), you get 恶劣 (èliè), a potent adjective that describes something as fundamentally and severely bad, both in its nature and its quality.
Cultural Context and Significance
恶劣 (èliè) is not a neutral, objective descriptor; it is packed with judgment. Using this word implies a strong condemnation or a recognition of extreme hardship. It reflects a clear line between what is acceptable and what is intolerably bad, whether in nature or in human behavior.
Comparison to “Awful/Terrible”: In English, we might casually say, “The traffic was awful,” or “This movie is terrible.” While 恶劣 (èliè) can be translated this way, it carries a much heavier weight. You wouldn't use 恶劣 for bad traffic or a boring movie. It’s reserved for situations that have a significant negative impact. For instance, `态度恶劣 (tàidù èliè)` is much stronger than a “bad attitude”; it's a “vile” or “despicable attitude” that shows a contemptible lack of basic decency. This reflects a cultural emphasis on proper conduct and the strong social disapproval of behavior that violates those norms.
Practical Usage in Modern China
恶劣 is used in both formal and informal contexts, but always to describe something seriously negative.
1. Describing Severe Conditions (Weather, Environment): This is one of its most common uses. It describes conditions that are not just unpleasant but potentially dangerous or extremely difficult to endure.
`影响恶劣 (yǐngxiǎng èliè)` - a severely negative/damaging impact
`品质恶劣 (pǐnzhì èliè)` - of abominable/vile quality (usually referring to a person's character, not a product's physical quality)
Example Sentences
Example 1:
尽管天气恶劣，救援队还是出发了。
Pinyin: Jǐnguǎn tiānqì èliè, jiùyuán duì háishì chūfā le.
English: Despite the severe weather, the rescue team set out.
Analysis: Here, 恶劣 describes weather that is genuinely dangerous or extremely challenging, like a heavy storm or blizzard. It's a classic and common usage.
Example 2:
那个服务员的待客态度非常恶劣。
Pinyin: Nàge fúwùyuán de dàikè tàidù fēicháng èliè.
English: That waiter's attitude towards customers was absolutely abominable.
Analysis: This implies the waiter was not just unhelpful, but perhaps openly rude, contemptuous, or hostile. 恶劣 communicates a strong sense of indignation.
Example 3:
在如此恶劣的工作环境下，他的健康受到了严重影响。
Pinyin: Zài rúcǐ èliè de gōngzuò huánjìng xià, tā de jiànkāng shòudào le yánzhòng yǐngxiǎng.
English: Working in such a harsh environment, his health was severely affected.
Analysis: This refers to a work environment that is physically or psychologically damaging—perhaps due to pollution, danger, or extreme stress.
Example 4:
他的欺骗行为造成了恶劣的社会影响。
Pinyin: Tā de qīpiàn xíngwéi zàochéng le èliè de shèhuì yǐngxiǎng.
English: His fraudulent behavior caused a severely negative social impact.
Analysis: This highlights the widespread, damaging consequences of an action. It's often used in news reports about scandals or crimes.
Example 5:
那个罪犯的作案手段极其恶劣。
Pinyin: Nàge zuìfàn de zuò'àn shǒuduàn jíqí èliè.
English: That criminal's methods were extremely vile.
Analysis: This emphasizes the depravity and cruelty of the criminal's actions, going beyond simply stating that they were illegal.
English: The nature of this incident is abominable and it must be handled seriously.
Analysis: `性质恶劣 (xìngzhì èliè)` is a common collocation used by authorities or in official reports to classify an event as particularly serious and unacceptable.
Example 9:
他因恶劣驾驶而被吊销了驾照。
Pinyin: Tā yīn èliè jiàshǐ ér bèi diàoxiāo le jiàzhào.
English: He had his driver's license revoked due to atrocious driving.
Analysis: This isn't just bad driving; it implies reckless or dangerous driving that showed a flagrant disregard for safety.
Example 10:
他的人品恶劣，没有人愿意和他交朋友。
Pinyin: Tā de rénpǐn èliè, méiyǒu rén yuànyì hé tā jiāo péngyou.
English: His moral character is vile, so no one wants to be his friend.
Analysis: `人品恶劣 (rénpǐn èliè)` is a very strong condemnation of a person's fundamental character, suggesting they are dishonest, cruel, or untrustworthy.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
Common Mistake 1: Using it for minor inconveniences.
A beginner might see “bad” in the definition and say: `这个菜的味道很恶劣。` (This dish's flavor is èliè.)
Why it's wrong:恶劣 is far too strong. It makes it sound like the food is poisonously, abominably bad. For food that just doesn't taste good, you should use `不好吃 (bù hǎochī)` or, more strongly, `难吃 (nánchī)`.
Common Mistake 2: Confusing it with `差 (chà)` or `坏 (huài)`.
These three words form a scale of “badness,” and using the wrong one can change your meaning significantly.
`差 (chà)` - Poor quality / Lacking: This is the mildest. It's about not meeting a standard.
`我的中文很差。` (My Chinese is poor.)
`今天天气很差。` (The weather is crummy/lousy today.)
`坏 (huài)` - Bad / Broken: This is the general, all-purpose “bad.”
`他是个坏人。` (He is a bad person.)
`我的手机坏了。` (My phone is broken.)
`恶劣 (èliè)` - Severe / Vile / Abominable: This is the most intense. It describes extreme and unacceptable badness.
`飓风天气非常恶劣。` (The hurricane weather is extremely severe.)
`他的行为太恶劣了！` (His behavior was just too vile!)
Related Terms and Concepts
糟糕 (zāogāo) - “Terrible,” “what a mess.” Describes a situation that has gone wrong. It's more of an exclamation about a bad outcome, whereas `恶劣` is a judgment of inherent quality or nature.
差 (chà) - “Poor (in quality),” “inferior.” A much milder term that is a component of `劣`. It points to a failure to meet a standard, not necessarily a severe or vile condition.
坏 (huài) - “Bad,” “broken.” The most general and common word for “bad.” `恶劣` is a specific and much more intense type of `坏`.
艰苦 (jiānkǔ) - “Arduous,” “tough.” Describes difficult conditions, focusing on the hardship and effort required to endure them (e.g., `生活艰苦` - a hard life). It lacks the moral condemnation that `恶劣` can have.
卑劣 (bēiliè) - “Despicable,” “base,” “sordid.” A close synonym for when `恶劣` is used to describe behavior. `卑劣` focuses specifically on the low, contemptible, and often sneaky moral character of an action or person.
凶恶 (xiōng'è) - “Fierce,” “ferocious,” “fiendish.” Describes a menacing or cruel appearance or nature, often of a person or animal (e.g., `表情凶恶` - a ferocious expression).
残忍 (cánrěn) - “Cruel,” “ruthless.” Describes actions that purposefully inflict pain and suffering on others without mercy. It's about cruelty in action.