Meaning
严厉 describes a stern, strict, or harsh manner of dealing with people or situations. It often refers to someone's attitude, tone, criticism, or punishment that shows no leniency or gentleness. The word carries a sense of seriousness and firmness, typically used when describing authority figures like parents, teachers, or bosses who enforce rules strictly.
Usage
Commonly used to describe people's attitudes, tones of voice, criticism, or disciplinary measures. It can describe both temporary behavior (他今天很严厉 'he's very strict today') and someone's general personality (严厉的老师 'a strict teacher'). Often paired with words like 批评 (criticism), 态度 (attitude), or 惩罚 (punishment). The tone is neutral to slightly negative, suggesting firmness that may be necessary but uncomfortable.
Examples
- 01老师严厉地批评了那些上课说话的学生。.The teacher severely criticized those students who talked during class.
- 02他父亲对他的要求一向很严厉。.His father has always been very strict with his expectations of him.
Characters
Common collocations
- 严厉批评to criticize severely
- 态度严厉stern attitude
- 严厉惩罚harsh punishment
- 严厉打击to crack down harshly on
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters reinforce the concept of strictness. 严 originally depicted tightness or severity, while 厉 suggests sharpness or fierceness. Together they form an intensified meaning of uncompromising strictness.