严 (yán) — strict, stern, severe; tight, tightly sealed
Definition
严 is the bare root meaning 'strict/severe' — it modifies a standard, requirement, or seal. The set 严厉, 严密, 严峻, 严谨 add a second character to specialize the meaning (严酷的惩罚 vs 严密的计划 vs 严谨的态度).
adjective
strictsternseveretighttightly sealed
Examples
- 严。Lǎo shī duì xué shēng de yāo qiú hěn yán.The teacher has very strict requirements for students.
- ，严。Gài hǎo gài zi, nǐng yán jiù xíng le.Put the lid on and tighten it, that's enough.
- 严，。Zhè cì kǎo hé hěn yán, tōng guò de rén bù duō.This assessment was very strict; not many people passed.
Appears in
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