Chinese word

愈演愈烈

Pronunciation

Pinyinyù yǎn yù liè

Meaning

  • idiomescalate

Example

矛盾愈演愈烈，问题越来越难解决。máo dùn yù yǎn yù liè wèn tí yuè lái yuè nán jiě jué

The conflict is escalating, and the problem is becoming increasingly difficult to solve.

Illustration for 愈演愈烈 (escalate)

More examples

舆论愈演愈烈，媒体报道进一步扩大影响。yú lùn yù yǎn yù liè méi tǐ bào dào jìn yí bù kuò dà yíng xiǎng

Public opinion is growing increasingly heated, and media reports are further expanding its influence.

Core concept

A situation gathers force as it unfolds, with each stage more intense than the last.

Common phrases

  • 冲突愈演愈烈chōng tū yù yǎn yù liè

    conflict intensifies

  • 社会矛盾愈演愈烈shè huì máo dùn yù yǎn yù liè

    social tensions intensify

  • 舆论愈演愈烈yú lùn yù yǎn yù liè

    public opinion grows increasingly heated

Similar words

一发不可收拾yì fā bù kě shōu shí: Becoming worse and impossible to control once a situation gets started.
火上加油huǒ shàng jiā yóu: Making an existing conflict or problem worse through words or actions.
白热化bái rè huà: Reaching a very high level of intensity in a conflict or competition.

Definition in Chinese

事情不断发展，程度越来越深，矛盾或冲突变得更强烈。shì qíng bú duàn fā zhǎn chéng dù yuè lái yuè shēn máo dùn huò chōng tū biàn de gèng qiáng liè

Word origin

The pattern 愈 (yù, "increasingly") + 演 (yǎn, "develop") + 愈 + 烈 (liè, "intense") shows development leading to ever stronger force or conflict.

Usage tips

  • In conversational Chinese, this idiom often sounds more like news or a report than relaxed small talk, making it useful for serious updates about a conflict or problem.

Other meanings

  • get worseidiom

Opposites

  • 息事宁人xī shì níng rénsettle matters and keep the peaceidiom
  • 风平浪静fēng píng làng jìngcalm and peacefulidiom

Word lists with this word