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愈 A 愈 B

the more A, the more B (written 越…越…)

Structure
(主语)愈 A ,(主语)愈 B

What it means

“The more A, the more B”: 愈 (yù) is the written form of 越, so 愈A愈B = 越A越B and 愈来愈 = 越来越.

How it is built

(Subject) + 愈 + verb/adj,(subject) + 愈 + verb/adj: 动作愈危险,观众的喝彩声愈响 (the riskier the move, the louder the cheers). With two subjects, each comes before its own 愈.

When to use it

Written and formal Chinese: features, reports, essays, speeches, and set phrases like 愈演愈烈, 每况愈下. 愈加 is the written 更加. In casual talk use 越.

Watch out

Keep both halves in one register: ✗ 越拖愈难 ✓ 愈拖愈难 or 越拖越难. 愈 takes a verb or adjective directly: ✗ 愈动作危险 ✓ 动作愈危险.

Examples

动作愈危险,观众的喝彩声愈响。
The more perilous the move, the louder the audience cheers.
这类问题愈拖愈难解决,不如趁早处理。
Problems like this get harder to solve the longer they are left; better deal with them early.
老人的病情愈来愈重,家里人都很担心。
The old man’s illness grew steadily worse, and his family were very worried.
Learn this in Lesson 239 · HSK 9+: 吴桥杂技 (The acrobats of Wuqiao)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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