严重 (yán zhòng) — serious, severe, grave

Definition

Describes problems, situations, or consequences that are serious and have real negative impact. 严肃 is about a serious tone or manner, not severity.

adjective

seriousseveregrave

严重，。
Zhè ge wèn tí hěn yán zhòng, xū yào mǎ shàng jiě jué.
This problem is very serious and needs to be solved immediately.
严重，。
Tā de bìng hěn yán zhòng, yǐ jīng zhù yuàn le.
His illness is very serious; he has already been hospitalized.
严重。
Zhè cì shì gù zào chéng le yán zhòng de sǔn shī.
This accident caused severe losses.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

严yánsevere; strict

重zhòngheavy; serious

“严重” joins “严” (severe) and “重” (serious), giving a grave seriousness.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 嚴; 严 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

喦喦yántalkative

Sound part声符shēngfú

敢

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 嚴 combines 喦 (talkative) and 敢 (daring); the simplified 严 is a later shorthand.

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

東

東dōng重zhòng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

重 developed from a picture of a man carrying a bag, with 人 for the man and 東 for the bag; a later ground element was folded into the form.

Appears in