Chinese word

颓废

Pronunciation

Pinyintuí fèi

Meaning

  • noundecadence

Example

那部小说描写了城市的颓废。nà bù xiǎo shuō miáo xiě le chéng shì de tuí fèi

That novel describes the city's decadence.

Illustration for 颓废 (decadence)

More examples

年轻艺术家们通过作品反对颓废，倡导积极的审美。nián qīng yì shù jiā men tōng guò zuò pǐn fǎn duì tuí fèi chàng dǎo jī jí de shén měi

Young artists oppose decadence through their work and advocate a positive aesthetic.

Core concept

A loss of vitality and standards that leaves a person, society, or culture in a state of decline.

Common phrases

  • 远离颓废yuǎn lí tuí fèi

    keep away from decadence

  • 批判颓废pī pàn tuí fèi

    criticize decadence

  • 对颓废说不duì tuí fèi shuō bù

    say no to decadence

Similar words

堕落duò luò: A corrupt state in which moral standards break down and behavior turns toward wrongdoing.
颓丧tuí sàng: A low-spirited state in which energy and the desire to act have faded.
没落mò luò: A declining state in which former status, influence, or prosperity has been lost.
衰落shuāi luò: A gradual weakening of strength, influence, or function.

Definition in Chinese

指精神、社会或文化等方面的衰落，失去活力与规范、走向堕落的状态。zhǐ jīng shén shè huì huò wén huà děng fāng miàn de shuāi luò shī qù huó lì yǔ guī fàn zǒu xiàng duò luò de zhuàng tài

Word origin

The compound 颓 (tuí, "to decline") + 废 (fèi, "discarded or useless") presents decline as a loss of the force and order that make something function well.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this word often sounds literary and critical; it commonly comments on a city, lifestyle, or period, while a direct label for a person can sound harsh.

Other meanings

  • depravitynoun
  • corruptionnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 颓废者tuí fèi zhědecadentnoun
  • 颓废主义者tuí fèi zhǔ yì zhědecadence advocatenoun

Word lists with this word