verb HSK 5
Traditional 惡化
to worsen · to deteriorate · to aggravate
Meaning
恶化 means to become worse or to deteriorate, typically describing situations, conditions, relationships, or health declining from a previous state. It carries a negative connotation and implies a harmful or undesirable progression.
Usage
Commonly used in formal or written contexts to describe situations deteriorating, such as economic conditions, illness progression, environmental problems, or international relations. Often paired with words like 情况 (situation), 病情 (medical condition), 关系 (relationship), or 环境 (environment). Less common in casual daily conversation.
Examples
- 01由于缺乏治疗，他的病情迅速恶化。, .Due to lack of treatment, his condition rapidly deteriorated.
- 02两国关系近年来不断恶化。.Relations between the two countries have been continuously deteriorating in recent years.
Characters
Common collocations
- 病情恶化condition worsens (medical)
- 关系恶化relationship deteriorates
- 环境恶化environment deteriorates
- 情况恶化situation worsens
Antonyms
Origin
Literally means 'to transform into bad/evil' - combining 恶 (bad, evil) with the transformative suffix 化 (to change into), creating the meaning of changing toward a worse state.