猛烈 (měng liè) — fierce, violent, intense | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

猛 focuses on brute physical force (猛兽, 凶猛) and rough, uncontrollable force — winds, blows, attacks. 强烈 is for feelings/light/reactions; 剧烈 is closer but used more for pain or bodily impact.

adjective

fierceviolentintense

Examples

猛烈。
Wài miàn de fēng guā dé fēi cháng měng liè.
The wind outside is blowing very fiercely.
猛烈。
Tā men zāo dào le měng liè de dǎ jī.
They suffered a violent blow.
猛烈。
Shì chǎng jìng zhēng yuè lái yuè měng liè.
Market competition is becoming more and more intense.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

烈lièintense

The 猛 and 烈 senses both convey strong, fierce force, so 猛烈 means fierce or intense.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

孟

Same sound today

猛 pairs 犬 (dog) with 孟, and 孟 gives the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

列灬烈

Meaning part形符xíngfú

灬Written in full as火huǒfire

Sound part声符shēngfú

列

列liè烈liè

Same sound today

烈 pairs 列 for the sound with 灬, a form of 火 (fire).

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Good & Bad

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