肆虐 (sì nüè) — (of disasters, storms, wars, diseases, etc.) to rage violently, to wreak havoc, to be rampant

Definition

Used for natural disasters, plagues, or war raging unchecked. Far more literary and intense than everyday '蔓延' or '横行' — reserved for dramatic, large-scale havoc in news or written prose.

verb
(of disasters, storms, wars, diseases, etc.) to rage violentlyto wreak havocto be rampant

Examples

  • 肆虐
    Tái fēng sì nüè, yán hǎi dì qū sǔn shī cǎn zhòng.
    The typhoon raged, causing heavy losses in coastal areas.
  • 肆虐
    Lì shǐ shàng wēn yì sì nüè shí, rén men háo wú bàn fǎ.
    In history, when plagues raged, people had no way to cope.
  • 肆虐
    Zhàn huǒ sì nüè, wú shù jiā tíng liú lí shī suǒ.
    The war raged, displacing countless families.

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