biànhuài: 变坏 - To Go Bad, Spoil, Deteriorate

• Keywords: biàn huài, 变坏, go bad, spoil, turn bad Chinese, become corrupted, deteriorate, worsen, learn Chinese, Chinese verb, HSK 4 vocabulary, biàn huài meaning
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 变坏 (biàn huài), which means “to go bad,” “spoil,” or “deteriorate.” This versatile term is used to describe a negative change in everything from food and weather to a person's character and relationships. This page breaks down its meaning, cultural context, and practical use with numerous examples to help you master this fundamental concept of change for the worse.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): biàn huài
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To change from a good state to a bad one; to go bad, spoil, or deteriorate.
• In a Nutshell: 变坏 (biàn huài) is a verb of process. It's not just about being “bad” (坏), but about the transformation into a bad state. Think of it as “to become bad.” This single term can describe milk souring in the fridge, a friendship turning sour, or a well-behaved child starting to cause trouble. It captures the entire journey from good to bad.

• 变 (biàn): This character means “to change,” “to transform,” or “to become.” It signifies a shift from one state to another.
• 坏 (huài): This character means “bad,” “spoiled,” or “broken.” It represents a negative or undesirable state.

When combined, 变坏 (biàn huài) literally and logically means “to change (to become) bad.” The meaning is very direct and reflects the structure of the characters.

While 变坏 (biàn huài) is a common, everyday term, it subtly reflects a cultural awareness of impermanence and the potential for things to decline. In Chinese thought, maintaining a state of goodness or harmony—whether in health, relationships, or moral character—requires effort. 变坏 represents the failure or absence of that effort, leading to a negative outcome. A powerful application is in describing a person's character, particularly a child's. A parent worrying that their child might 变坏 is expressing a deep-seated fear of them losing their innocence and moral compass. This is a much more common and direct way of expressing this concern than in English, where we might use phrases like “fall in with the wrong crowd” or “go down the wrong path.” The Chinese term encapsulates this entire concept of moral deterioration into one potent verb. Compared to English, 变坏 is more universally applicable. We say food “goes bad,” a situation “worsens,” a person “breaks bad,” and a friendship “sours.” 变坏 can be used for all of these, highlighting a unified concept of negative transformation that is central to how change is viewed.

变坏 (biàn huài) is used frequently in daily conversation across various contexts. Its connotation is always negative.

• Referring to Food and Objects: This is the most common and literal usage. It means to spoil, perish, or rot.
  • e.g., “这个酸奶好像变坏了，别喝了。” (This yogurt seems to have gone bad, don't drink it.)
• Describing People's Character: Used to describe someone's moral decline or when they start exhibiting bad behavior. It's often used by parents, teachers, or elders.
  • e.g., “他自从认识了那些朋友，就慢慢变坏了。” (He slowly turned bad ever since he met those friends.)
• Talking about Situations or Relationships: It can describe abstract concepts like a relationship, the economy, or the weather taking a turn for the worse.
  • e.g., “我们之间的关系突然变坏了。” (The relationship between us suddenly soured.)

• Example 1:
  • 牛奶放在桌子上太久，变坏了。
  • Pinyin: Niúnǎi fàng zài zhuōzi shàng tài jiǔ, biàn huài le.
  • English: The milk was left on the table for too long and it spoiled.
  • Analysis: A very common and literal use of the term, referring to food spoilage. The `了 (le)` indicates the completion of the change.
• Example 2:
  • 我很担心我的孩子在学校会学坏。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ hěn dānxīn wǒ de háizi zài xuéxiào huì xuéhuài.
  • English: I'm very worried that my child will learn bad habits at school.
  • Analysis: Here, we see the variation `学坏 (xué huài)`, which specifically means “to learn to be bad.” It's closely related to 变坏.
• Example 3:
  • 如果你不修理它，这个机器很快就会变坏。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ bù xiūlǐ tā, zhège jīqì hěn kuài jiù huì biàn huài.
  • English: If you don't repair it, this machine will soon break down (deteriorate).
  • Analysis: This shows 变坏 used for the deterioration of an inanimate object due to neglect. It implies a gradual process, not a sudden break.
• Example 4:
  • 他们的友谊因为一个很小的误会而变坏了。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen de yǒuyì yīnwèi yīgè hěn xiǎo de wùhuì ér biàn huài le.
  • English: Their friendship soured because of a small misunderstanding.
  • Analysis: An excellent example of 变坏 used for an abstract concept like a relationship.
• Example 5:
  • 那个演员成名之后就变坏了，不再尊重别人。
  • Pinyin: Nàge yǎnyuán chéngmíng zhīhòu jiù biàn huài le, bù zài zūnzhòng biérén.
  • English: That actor became corrupted after getting famous and no longer respects others.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of describing a person's moral decline.
• Example 6:
  • 天气预报说周末天气会变坏，可能会下雨。
  • Pinyin: Tiānqì yùbào shuō zhōumò tiānqì huì biàn huài, kěnéng huì xià yǔ.
  • English: The weather forecast says the weather will turn bad over the weekend; it might rain.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how 变坏 can be used for natural phenomena like the weather.
• Example 7:
  • 自从他开始赌博，他整个人都变坏了。
  • Pinyin: Zìcóng tā kāishǐ dǔbó, tā zhěnggè rén dōu biàn huài le.
  • English: Ever since he started gambling, his entire character has gone bad.
  • Analysis: The phrase `整个人 (zhěnggè rén)` emphasizes a complete transformation of the person's character for the worse.
• Example 8:
  • 经济形势似乎正在变坏。
  • Pinyin: Jīngjì xíngshì sìhū zhèngzài biàn huài.
  • English: The economic situation seems to be worsening.
  • Analysis: A more formal use of the term to describe a large-scale situation. In this context, `恶化 (èhuà)` could also be used.
• Example 9:
  • 你再不吃，这些水果就要变坏了。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zài bù chī, zhèxiē shuǐguǒ jiù yào biàn huài le.
  • English: If you don't eat them soon, these fruits are going to go bad.
  • Analysis: The structure `就要…了 (jiù yào…le)` indicates that the action of “going bad” is imminent.
• Example 10:
  • 他不是天生就坏，是环境让他变坏的。
  • Pinyin: Tā bùshì tiānshēng jiù huài, shì huánjìng ràng tā biàn huài de.
  • English: He wasn't born bad; it was his environment that made him turn bad.
  • Analysis: This sentence perfectly illustrates the difference between being in a state of “bad” (`坏`) and the process of becoming bad (`变坏`).

• `变坏 (biàn huài)` vs. `坏了 (huài le)`: This is the most common point of confusion for learners.
  • `坏了 (huài le)`: Describes a state. It means “is broken” or “is spoiled.” It's the end result.
    • Example: 我的手机坏了。 (Wǒ de shǒujī huài le.) - My phone is broken.
  • `变坏 (biàn huài)`: Describes a process. It means “to become bad” or “to go bad.” It focuses on the change from good to bad.
    • Example: 食物放太久变坏了。 (Shíwù fàng tài jiǔ biàn huài le.) - The food was left out too long and went bad.
• Not for Sudden Breaks: You wouldn't typically use 变坏 for something that snaps or breaks suddenly. For that, `坏了 (huài le)` or `断了 (duàn le - snapped)` is better. 变坏 implies a gradual process of spoilage or deterioration.
  • Incorrect: 我的杯子掉在地上变坏了。 (My cup fell on the floor and went bad.)
  • Correct: 我的杯子掉在地上摔坏了。 (Wǒ de bēizi diào zài dìshàng shuāi huài le.) - My cup fell on the floor and broke.

• * 坏 (huài) - The adjective “bad” or “broken.” It is the state that results from the process of 变坏.
• * 变好 (biàn hǎo) - The direct antonym: “to get better,” “to become good,” “to improve.”
• * 恶化 (èhuà) - A more formal synonym for “to worsen” or “deteriorate.” Often used for serious situations like a medical condition, the economy, or international relations.
• * 腐烂 (fǔlàn) - A more specific and stronger term meaning “to rot,” “to decay.” Used primarily for organic matter like wood or fruit.
• * 变质 (biànzhì) - A specific term for food or medicine “spoiling” or “losing its quality.” It's slightly more technical than 变坏.
• * 堕落 (duòluò) - A very strong and literary term for moral “degeneration” or “sinking into depravity.” It's much more severe than the common use of 变坏 for a person.
• * 学坏 (xué huài) - “To learn bad habits” or “to be led astray.” It focuses on the cause of 变坏 being a learning process.
• * 改善 (gǎishàn) - An antonym of `恶化 (èhuà)`. It means “to improve” or “to make better,” usually referring to a situation, system, or living standard.