强烈

• Pinyin: qiáng liè
• Hanzi breakdown: 强 = 弓 (bow) + component suggesting force; 烈 = 列 (row, phonetic) + 灬 (fire), meaning fierce or blazing

Meaning

Intense; strong; fierce. Describes feelings, reactions, or phenomena that are extremely powerful or vivid.

Used for emotions (强烈的感情), light (强烈的阳光), reactions (强烈反对), desires (强烈的愿望), and contrasts (强烈的对比). More literary and emphatic than 很强. Common in news, essays, and expressive speech. Often modifies abstract nouns rather than physical objects.

Examples

1. 观众对这部电影的反应非常强烈。 The audience's reaction to this film was extremely strong.
2. 他有一种强烈的想回家的感觉。 He had an intense feeling of wanting to go home.
3. 夏天中午的阳光特别强烈。 The midday sun in summer is particularly fierce.

Usage Guide

Context: emotions, reactions, descriptions

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 大家强烈反对这个提议。(Everyone strongly opposes this proposal.)
• 她表达了强烈的不满。(She expressed intense dissatisfaction.)

Don't Say

• 今天的风强烈。(Don't use 强烈 directly as a predicate for wind — say 风很大 or 风很强. 强烈 typically modifies nouns or appears in more literary contexts.)

Origin & History

强 means strong; 烈 means fierce or intense (as in a blazing fire). Together they describe something that burns with great force — vividly and powerfully intense.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal