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越演越烈

Mandarin · pinyin yuè yǎn yuè liè

to be intensifying
to be getting worse and worse
to start to run rampant

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Characters in this entry

越: yuè · exceed, go beyond; the more ...
演: yǎn · perform, put on; exercise
烈: liè · fiery, violent, vehement, ardent

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

4–3–4–4 · yue4 yan3 yue4 lie4

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) synonym of 愈演愈烈 (yùyǎnyùliè, “to become more and more intense and serious”)

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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