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严重 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
严重yánzhònggraveHSK 4, a, rank #976, Medium
严重yánzhòngseriousHSK 4, a, rank #976, Medium
严重yánzhòngsevereHSK 4, a, rank #976, Medium
严重yánzhòngcriticalHSK 4, a, rank #976, Medium
yánzhòng(yan2zhong4) T2
  1. 1grave
  2. 2serious
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March 24, 2026
严重(嚴重)yánzhòng(yan2zhong4)

严重 (yán zhòng) means grave, serious, or severe, often describing conditions or situations that are critical and require immediate attention. It is commonly used in both medical contexts and everyday life situations to emphasize the seriousness of an issue.

Frequency#976DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the use of serious language is often reserved for discussions about health, safety, or social issues, reflecting the value placed on collective well-being. The gravity of a situation is frequently communicated through this term in both media and personal conversations.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person weighing down with heavy weights labeled 'serious' and 'grave.' The character 严 (yán) has a radical that resembles a roof, suggesting something serious is 'under' it, while 重 (zhòng) means 'heavy.' Together, they evoke the image of a serious burden.

Meanings of 严重

yánzhòng(yan2zhong4)
1grave
2serious
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 严重

严重Simplified
嚴重Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#976Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 严重

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Podcast: 严重

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AI Study Notes for 严重

Quick Contrast

严重 (yán zhòng) vs 严厉 (yán lì) — use 严重 for serious conditions, while 严厉 refers to strictness or severity in behavior.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person weighing down with heavy weights labeled 'serious' and 'grave.' The character 严 (yán) has a radical that resembles a roof, suggesting something serious is 'under' it, while 重 (zhòng) means 'heavy.' Together, they evoke the image of a serious burden.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 严重 with other similar terms like 严厉 (yánlì, strict) or 严肃 (yánsù, solemn), which refer to strictness and seriousness in demeanor rather than the severity of a situation. This term is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but avoid using it for light-hearted situations.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 4 word, 严重 connects well with other adjectives describing conditions or states. Focus on combining it with verbs like 'to be' (是, shì) or 'to feel' (感觉, gǎnjué) for practical sentence construction.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the use of serious language is often reserved for discussions about health, safety, or social issues, reflecting the value placed on collective well-being. The gravity of a situation is frequently communicated through this term in both media and personal conversations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 严重 by applying it to situations that are not critical. For example, saying '我今天很严重' (Wǒ jīntiān hěn yánzhòng - I am very serious today) is incorrect; a better phrase would be '我今天很忙' (Wǒ jīntiān hěn máng - I am very busy today).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 严重

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Component Characters

严yántight (closely sealed)
HSK 67 strokes一
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重zhòngheavy
HSK 49 strokes里
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Write 严重

严
重

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Grammar Patterns of 严重

严重 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

她病得很____，甚至要做手术。

She is seriously ill — to the point that she needs surgery.

Example Sentences for 严重 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
全国的核武器工厂均受到了有毒废弃物的严重污染。

quán guó de hé wǔ qì gōng chǎng jūn shòu dào le yǒu dú fèi qì wù de yán zhòng wū rǎn。

Nuclear weapons plants across the country are heavily contaminated with toxic wastes.
2
由于约翰逊东窗事发，他们的体育声誉受到了严重损害。

yóu yú yuē hàn xùn dōng chuāng shì fā， ， tā mén de tǐ yù shēng yù shòu dào le yán zhòng sǔn。

Their sporting reputation has suffered enormously from Johnson's exposure.
3
他因摔倒而严重扭伤了脚踝。

tā yīn shuāi dǎo ér yán zhòng niǔ shāng le jiǎo huái。

He had wrenched his ankle badly from the force of the fall.
4
该国领导人低估了这场危机的严重性。

gāi guó lǐng dǎo rén dī gū le zhè cháng wēi jī de yán zhòng xìng。

The country'sleadership had underestimated the depth of the crisis.
5
这给我的个人生活和我的工作都造成了严重的不良影响。

zhè gěi wǒ de gè rén shēng huó hé wǒ de gōng zuò dū zào chéng le yán zhòng de bù liáng yǐng xiǎng。

This has taken a great toll on me personally and professionally.
6
这位精神病学家将她的一些问题成功地追溯到她童年时代遭受的严重创伤。

zhè wèi jīng shén bìng xué jiā jiāng tā de yī xiē wèn tí chéng gōng dì zhuī sù dào tā tóng nián shí dài zāo shòu de yán zhòng chuàng shāng。

The psychiatrist successfully traced some of her problems to severe childhood traumas.
7
最近一期的《柳叶刀》杂志中强调了这一日益严重的问题。

zuì jìn yī qī de《 《 liǔ yè》 dāo 》 zá zhì zhōng qiáng tiáo le zhè yī rì yì yán zhòng de。

The growing problem is underlined in the latest issue of the Lancet.
8
这是她记录的档案中最严重的案例之一。

zhè shì tā jì lù de dàng àn zhōng zuì yán zhòng de àn lì zhī yī。

It is one of the most desperate cases on her files.
9
我们正在经历现代最严重的一段经济衰退。

wǒ mén zhèng zài jīng lì xiàn dài zuì yán zhòng de yī duàn jīng jì shuāi tuì。

We are in one of the most severe recessions in modern times.
10
弗兰克的身体已经被一场严重的心脏病拖垮了。

fú lán kè de shēn tǐ yǐ jīng bèi yī cháng yán zhòng de xīn zāng bìng tuō kuǎ le。

Frank had been struck down by a massive heart attack.

Cultural Notes for 严重

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the use of serious language is often reserved for discussions about health, safety, or social issues, reflecting the value placed on collective well-being. The gravity of a situation is frequently communicated through this term in both media and personal conversations.

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, the term 'serious' might be used more casually than in Chinese, where it often indicates a need for urgent action or concern.

Frequently Asked Questions about 严重

No, 严重 is specifically for serious or critical issues, so it's inappropriate for minor problems.