Comparing "yansu" and "yanzhong"
严肃 and 严重 both are adjectives that mean “serious”, yet are used in different contexts and usually cannot be used interchangeably. 严肃 is more used to mean “solemn” as in an spirit, atmosphere, or manner, whereas 严重 is more used to mean “grave” or “severe” as in situation that is not optimistic or an awful problem. Another difference is that 严肃 is used in formal situations, whereas 严重 is used both formally and informally.
| 严肃 (yánsù) | 严重 (yánzhòng) | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | yánzhòng | serious, grave, severe |
| Part of Speech | verb | verb |
| Formality | formal | flexible |
Contents
To say to a solemn manner or atmosphere use 严肃.
Think of a the feeling at a sad occasion like a funeral or after a catastrophe, or even a person who never cracks a smile, all of these use 严肃.
Common Phrases
- 气氛很严肃
- 严肃的人
- 严肃的态度
To say a grave situation or severe problem use 严重
Think of a situation or problem that is currently in the midst of dire straights or turmoil, i.e., an epidemic, a natural disaster, a political mess, etc., all of these use 严重.
Common Phrases
- 问题严重
- 严重后果
- 疾病严重
