越来越 (more and more)

• 拼音: yuèláiyuè
• 结构: Subject + 越来越 + Verb/Adj. + 了
• 汉字拆解: 越 = 走 (walk) + 戉 (broad-axe)

含义

The pattern '越来越 + Adjective/Verb' expresses a gradual increase or progression over time, equivalent to 'more and more' in English. It indicates that a situation is continuously developing in one direction.

Unlike the '越 A 越 B' pattern which links two parallel changes, 越来越 focuses on a single quality or action that is progressively intensifying. It is one of the most frequently used degree expressions in everyday Chinese. The sentence often ends with 了 to indicate the change of state. 越来越 can be followed by either an adjective (越来越冷) or a verb phrase (越来越喜欢). It works in both positive and negative contexts — you can say 越来越好 or 越来越差. The pattern is neutral in register and used equally in spoken and written Chinese.

例句

1. 春天到了，天气越来越暖和了。
2. 他的中文越来越流利了。
3. 城市里的车越来越多了。

用法指南

语境: spoken, written, everyday

语气: descriptive

正确说法

• 我们的生活越来越好了。
• 这个城市越来越现代化了。
• 她的画越来越有风格了。
• 弟弟越来越懂事了。

错误说法

• 天气越来越很冷了。(Do not use 很 with 越来越 — 越来越 already expresses increasing degree) → 天气越来越冷了。
• 他越来越不高兴。(When expressing a negative change, 了 should still be added at the end to mark the change of state) → 他越来越不高兴了。
• 我们越来越越喜欢这里了。(Do not repeat 越 — the correct form is 越来越, not 越来越越) → 我们越来越喜欢这里了。

起源与历史

This pattern combines 越 (surpassing) with 来 (coming), literally suggesting a quality that keeps coming to exceed itself. It became a standard expression for gradual change in modern Mandarin.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal