Expressing "more and more" with "yuelaiyue"

越来越 (yuèláiyuè) is used frequently in Chinese to express that some quality or state is increasing with time and is often translated into English as "more and more." This is the simple form of this pattern, which uses 来, but there is also a more complex one (which uses two different adjectives/verbs).

1 Used with Adjectives

1.1 Structure
1.2 Examples

2 Used with Verbs

2.1 Structure
2.2 Examples

3 See also
4 Sources and further reading

4.1 Books

Used with Adjectives

This structure expresses that something is becoming more and more adjective over time, with the latter adjective changing with the verb. The most common structure is:

Structure

Examples

天气越来越冷了。 Tiānqì yuèláiyuè lěng le. The weather is getting colder and colder.
你女儿越来越漂亮了。 Nǐ nǚér yuèláiyuè piàoliang le. Your daughter is getting more and more beautiful.
你说得越来越好了。 Nǐ shuō de yuèláiyuè hǎo le. You speak better and better.
技术越来越发达了。 Jìshù yuèláiyuè fādá le. Technology is more and more developed.
空气污染越来越严重了。 Kōngqì wūrǎn yuèláiyuè yánzhòng le. The air pollution is getting worse and worse.

Used with Verbs

Structure

Examples

我越来越喜欢上海了。 Wǒ yuèláiyuè xǐhuan Shànghǎi le. I like Shanghai more and more.
你越来越了解我了。 Nǐ yuèláiyuè liǎojiě wǒ le. You know me better and better.
我越来越理解我的父母了。 Wǒ yuèláiyuè lǐjiě wǒ de fùmǔ le. I understand my parents more and more.

When the verb is negative in Chinese, a translation like "less and less" with a positive verb might be more appropriate in English than sticking with a "more and more" translation.

我越来越不相信他了。 Wǒ yuèláiyuè bù xiāngxìn tā le. I believe him less and less.
你越来越不懂我了。 Nǐ yuèláiyuè bù dǒng wǒ le. You understand me less and less.

Expressing "more and more" with "yuelaiyue"

Contents

Used with Adjectives

Structure

Examples

Used with Verbs

Structure

Examples

See also

Sources and further reading

Books