急剧

• Pinyin: jí jù
• Hanzi breakdown: 急 = 心 + 及 (heart + reach — hurrying); 剧 = 豕 + 刂 (pig + knife — intense/dramatic)

Meaning

Rapid and dramatic; sharply; precipitously. Describes a sudden and drastic change in something.

Used to describe swift, dramatic changes — usually in data, conditions, or situations. Common collocations: 急剧上升/下降 (rise/fall sharply), 急剧变化 (change dramatically), 急剧恶化 (deteriorate rapidly). Implies both speed and magnitude of change. More formal than 迅速.

Examples

1. 受全球经济衰退影响，该公司股价在短短两个交易日内急剧下跌，市值损失超过三分之一。 Affected by the global economic recession, the company’s stock price plunged over just two trading days, wiping out more than one-third of its market value.
2. 气候变化导致该地区降水量急剧减少，原本水草丰美的土地正逐渐演变为干旱荒漠。 Climate change has caused precipitation in the region to drop sharply, and land that was once lush with water and grass is gradually turning into dry desert.
3. 随着城镇化进程加快，大城市人口急剧膨胀，公共服务资源的供给面临前所未有的巨大压力。 As urbanization accelerates, the population of major cities is swelling rapidly, putting unprecedented pressure on the supply of public services.

Usage Guide

Context: economics, environment, journalism

Tone: urgent

Do Say

• 报告显示，过去十年间全球极端天气事件的发生频率急剧增加，科学界普遍认为这与人类活动引发的气候变化密切相关。(The report shows that the frequency of extreme weather events globally has increased sharply over the past decade, and the scientific community generally considers this to be closely related to climate change caused by human activity.)
• 由于核心原材料供应急剧短缺，多家汽车制造商不得不宣布临时停产，整个产业链陷入严重的供需失衡状态。(Due to a sharp shortage in core raw material supply, several automakers were forced to announce temporary production halts, sending the entire supply chain into a state of severe supply-demand imbalance.)

Don't Say

• 急剧地说 — 急剧 modifies quantities and conditions, not speech or action speed; use 急切地说 or 迅速说 instead

Origin & History

急 (urgent/rapid) + 剧 (intense/theatrical — here: dramatic/sharp)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal