退化 (tuì huà) — to degenerate, to atrophy
Definition
退 (tuì) is the natural, often biological 'regress / atrophy / degenerate' (organs, muscles, abilities, institutions). Unlike 腐朽 or 堕落, it implies a gradual functional decline, not moral corruption; unlike 萎缩, it is broader than physical shrinking.
verb
to degenerateto atrophy
Easily confused
Examples
- 退化。Huán jìng è huà dǎo zhì mǒu xiē wù zhǒng de qì guān zhú jiàn tuì huà.Environmental degradation causes the organs of some species to gradually degenerate.
- ,退化。Cháng qī bú duàn liàn, jī ròu huì màn màn tuì huà.If you don't exercise for a long time, your muscles will slowly atrophy.
- ,退化。Yí gè gōng sī rú guǒ quē fá chuàng xīn, hěn kuài jiù huì tuì huà.A company that lacks innovation will soon degenerate.
Appears in
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