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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'bad' or 'rotten' with 烂 (làn)

    Degree & Intensity
    Description & Modification

    Structure

    烂

    Explanation

    The adjective 烂 (làn) means "rotten," "bad," or "terrible," and can describe both physical decay and poor quality. In colloquial usage, it is a blunt, informal way to criticize something as awful. For example, 电影评价较低，烂 means "the movie got low reviews — terrible."

    Examples

    • 这家餐厅的服务太烂了，下次不来了。

      Zhè jiā cāntīng de fúwù tài làn le, xià cì bù lái le.

      The service at this restaurant was terrible; I'm not coming back next time.

    • 苹果放太久都烂了，赶紧扔掉吧。

      Píngguǒ fàng tài jiǔ dōu làn le, gǎnjǐn rēng diào ba.

      The apples have been sitting too long and have all gone bad; throw them away quickly.

    • 他觉得那部电影烂得不行，完全浪费时间。

      Tā juéde nà bù diànyǐng làn de bùxíng, wánquán làngfèi shíjiān.

      He thought that movie was absolutely terrible, a complete waste of time.

    Often Confused With

    Expressing 'bad' or 'rotten' with 烂 (làn) | Chinese Grammar