蔓延

• Pinyin: màn yán
• Hanzi breakdown: 蔓 = 艹 (grass/plant) + 曼 (spread, extend); 延 = 廴 (walk) + 正 (upright, phonetic)

Meaning

To spread; to extend; to proliferate. Describes the gradual spreading of something, often something undesirable, across a wide area.

Typically used for wildfires, diseases, emotions, conflicts, or ideologies spreading outward. Carries a sense of slow but inexorable expansion that is difficult to contain. Common in news reports, academic analysis, and literary description.

Examples

1. 山林大火在强风助势下迅速蔓延，消防部门紧急调派增援力量赶赴现场。 With strong winds fanning it, the forest fire spread rapidly, and the fire department urgently dispatched reinforcements to the scene.
2. 恐慌情绪开始在市场中蔓延，多只股票触及跌停，投资者纷纷抛售。 Panic began to spread through the market; multiple stocks hit their down limits, and investors started selling in droves.
3. 若不及时采取有效措施，谣言一旦在网络上蔓延，将很难在短时间内消除影响。 If effective measures aren’t taken in time, once a rumor spreads online, it will be very hard to eliminate its impact quickly.

Usage Guide

Context: news, disaster, disease, conflict

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 疫情如果不加以控制，很快就会蔓延至周边地区。(If the epidemic is not controlled, it will quickly spread to surrounding areas.)
• 不满情绪在员工中悄悄蔓延，管理层决定召开全员大会加以沟通。(Discontent quietly spread among employees, and management decided to hold an all-staff meeting to address it.)

Don't Say

• 把'蔓延'用于正面积极的扩散场景 — 正面语境中扩散应用'传播'或'推广' (Avoid using 蔓延 for positive forms of spreading — for positive diffusion use 传播 or 推广 instead)

Origin & History

蔓 (creeping vine, to spread) + 延 (to extend, to continue). Together depicting the spreading pattern of climbing vines.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal