Correct
猛 vs 猛烈
/ měng vs měngliè /
Strokes
Definition
猛 (měng) and 猛烈 (měngliè) both mean "fierce" or "intense", mean “something happening abrupty and with momentum”, but they differ in usage, intensity, and grammatical roles.
1. 猛 (měng) – "Fierce / Sudden / Strong"
Meaning & Usage:
- "Fierce / Violent" (describes actions or forces with sudden intensity).
- ✅ "猛兽" (měng shòu) – "Fierce beast" (e.g., tigers, lions).
- ✅ "猛攻" (měng gōng) – "Fierce attack."
- "Sudden / Forceful" (emphasizes speed or abruptness).
- ✅ "他猛地站起来。" (Tā měng de zhàn qǐlái.) – "He suddenly stood up."
- ✅ "风刮得很猛。" (Fēng guā de hěn měng.) – "The wind is blowing fiercely."
- "Strong / Powerful" (can describe people, animals, or natural forces).
- ✅ "他酒量很猛。" (Tā jiǔliàng hěn měng.) – "He has a strong alcohol tolerance."
Key Features:
- More flexible (can be an adjective or adverb).
- Often used in spoken Chinese (casual tone).
- Less extreme than 猛烈 (can mean "strong" without extreme violence).
2. 猛烈 (měngliè) – "Violent / Intense / Fierce"
Meaning & Usage:
- "Violent / Extreme" (describes high-intensity actions or events).
- ✅ "猛烈的风暴" (měngliè de fēngbào) – "Violent storm."
- ✅ "战斗很猛烈。" (Zhàndòu hěn měngliè.) – "The battle was fierce."
- "Intense / Severe" (often used for weather, attacks, or emotions).
- ✅ "猛烈的批评" (měngliè de pīpíng) – "Harsh criticism."
- ✅ "火势猛烈。" (Huǒshì měngliè.) – "The fire is raging."
Key Features:
- More formal & extreme than 猛 (měng).
- Mostly used in written Chinese or serious contexts (e.g., news, reports).
- Only an adjective (cannot be an adverb like 猛).
Comparison Table
| Word | Meaning | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 猛 (měng) | "Fierce / Sudden / Strong" | Casual speech, actions, forces | "风很猛。" (The wind is strong.) |
| 猛烈 (měngliè) | "Violent / Extreme" | Formal, intense events | "战斗很猛烈。" (The battle was fierce.) |
Key Differences
- Intensity:
- 猛 (měng) → Strong but not necessarily extreme.
- 猛烈 (měngliè) → Extreme violence or intensity.
- Formality:
- 猛 → Used in daily speech.
- 猛烈 → More formal or literary.
- Grammar:
- 猛 → Can be adjective or adverb (e.g., "猛地" – "suddenly").
- 猛烈 → Only an adjective.
When to Use Which?
- Use 猛 (měng) when:
- Describing sudden actions (e.g., "猛地一跳" – "suddenly jump").
- Talking about strong but not extreme forces (e.g., "风很猛" – "strong wind").
- Use 猛烈 (měngliè) when:
- Describing violent events (e.g., "猛烈的攻击" – "fierce attack").
- Writing formal reports or news (e.g., "火灾猛烈" – "the fire is raging").
Example
As an Attributive, 猛 can qualify relatively few words.
1
Měnghǔ
猛虎
a fierce tiger
2
Měngshòu
猛兽
beast of prey
3
Měngliè
猛烈
de
的
fēngyǔ
风雨
violent storm
4
Měngliè
猛烈
de
的
pàohuǒ
炮火
fierce gunfire
5
Měngliè
猛烈
de
的
hóngshuǐ
洪水
violent flooding
6
Měngliè
猛烈
de
的
gōngshì
攻势
Fierce offensive
As an Adverbial, 猛 can qualify monosyllabic words and, with 地, polysyllabic words denoting specific actions.
7
Tā
他
yīzhèn
一阵
měng
猛
pǎo
跑
,
zhuǎnyǎn
转眼
jiù
就
dào
到
liǎo
了
shānbiān
山边
。
He ran quickly and came to the foot of the mountain in an instant.
8
Bàozi
豹子
měngde
猛地
yī
一
zhuǎnshēn
转身
,
xiàng
向
rénmen
人们
pū
扑
lái
来
。
The leopard turned around abruptly and sprang onto the people.
猛烈 usually qualifies non-monosyllabic words denoting abstract actions.
9
Dàhuǒ
大火
měngliè
猛烈
dì
地
ránshāo
燃烧
zhāo
着
。
The fire burnt briskly.
10
Húshuǐ
湖水
měngliè
猛烈
shàngzhǎng
上涨
。
The lake was fiercely rising.
As a Complement, 得 is added, and 猛烈 is more abstract than 猛.
11
Kèduì
客队
gōng
攻
de
得
hěn
很
měng
猛
。
The visiting team fought violently.
12
Shānhuǒ
山火
ránshāo
燃烧
de
得
yuèláiyuè
越来越
měngliè
猛烈
。
The wildfires are burning more and more fiercely.
As the predicate, the two words (猛烈 and 猛) are similar, but 猛烈 can do without adverbs of degree, while 猛 is often qualified by 很.
13
Zhǔduì
主队
de
的
gōngshì
攻势
hěn
很
měng
猛
(
měngliè
猛烈
)
。
The host team fought violently.
14
Pàohuǒ
炮火
hěn
很
měng
猛
(
měngliè
猛烈
)
。
The shellfire was heavy.
Mistake
❌ 他批评得很猛烈。
✅ 他猛烈地批评。
✅ 火势很猛。 The fire is strong. (less extreme than "火势猛烈").