yán lì
stern; severe
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老师对学生很严厉。
lǎoshī duì xuéshēng hěn yánlì.
The teacher is very strict with the students.
父母对孩子的教育很严厉。
fùmǔ duì háizi de jiàoyù hěn yánlì.
Parents are very strict with their children's education.
公司对员工的要求很严厉。
gōngsī duì yuángōng de yāoqiú hěn yánlì.
The company has very strict requirements for its employees.
宽松 (kuānsōng)
lenient
温和 (wēnhé)
gentle
The Chinese word 严厉 (yánlì) is composed of two characters: 严 (yán) and 厉 (lì). The character 严 originally meant "to be strict or severe," and it is often used in words related to discipline, law, or punishment. The character 厉 originally meant "to be fierce or violent," and it is often used in words related to war, danger, or calamity. When these two characters are combined, they create the word 严厉, which means "strict and severe." This word is often used to describe people, actions, or situations that are demanding or unforgiving. For example, a strict teacher might be described as 严厉的老师 (yánlì de lǎoshī), and a difficult task might be described as 严厉的任务 (yánlì de rènwù).
