激烈

• Pinyin: jī liè
• Hanzi breakdown: 激 = 氵 (water) + 敫 (to strike, phonetic); 烈 = 列 (row, phonetic) + 灬 (fire) — blazing flames

Meaning

Intense; fierce; heated. Describes strong, vigorous action or sharp confrontation.

Used for competitions, debates, battles, conflicts, and any situation involving strong opposition or intensity. Common collocations include 激烈的竞争 (fierce competition), 激烈的讨论 (heated discussion), and 激烈的比赛 (intense match). Not typically used for weather or emotions directly.

Examples

1. 这场足球比赛踢得非常激烈。 This football match was played very intensely.
2. 同学们就这个话题展开了激烈的讨论。 The classmates had a heated discussion about this topic.
3. 市场竞争越来越激烈，公司必须不断创新。 Market competition is becoming increasingly fierce, so companies must constantly innovate.

Usage Guide

Context: competition, debate, conflict

Tone: dramatic

Do Say

• 双方的辩论非常激烈。(The debate between the two sides was very intense.)
• 今年的求职竞争特别激烈。(The job market competition this year is especially fierce.)

Don't Say

• 今天的天气很激烈 (Don't use 激烈 for weather — use 恶劣 for bad weather or 猛烈 for violent storms; 激烈 is for confrontation and competition)

Origin & History

激 (to surge, to arouse) + 烈 (fierce, blazing) — a surging fierceness, like fire fanned by turbulent water.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal