# 变本加厉

biàn běn jiā lì

Become worse or more extreme

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Change by adding greater severity

**Traditional Chinese:** 變本加厲

**Register:** Critical · general

[Change & possibility](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/change)

## When to use it

Describe escalating misconduct or an aggravating problem.

Usually negative, not ordinary growth or improvement.

## Understanding the expression

The expression describes an existing bad pattern becoming more intense rather than disappearing after correction. A person warned about insults may become more abusive, or a company may add further unfair charges. The earlier problem supplies the baseline. It therefore fits escalation more precisely than a first isolated offense. A useful sentence shows what changed and why the new behavior is worse, rather than using the phrase as a vague general expression of disapproval.

## Examples

被提醒后，他反而变本加厉地打断别人说话。

### Traditional Chinese

被提醒後，他反而變本加厲地打斷別人說話。

bèi tí xǐng hòu ， tā fǎn ér biàn běn jiā lì dì dǎ duàn bié rén shuō huà 。

After the reminder, he interrupted others even more often.

商家变本加厉，又加了隐藏收费。

### Traditional Chinese

商家變本加厲，又加了隱藏收費。

shāng jiā biàn běn jiā lì ， yòu jiā le yǐn cáng shōu fèi 。

The seller worsened matters with more hidden charges.

起初只是拖延，后来却变本加厉，连计划也不看了。

### Traditional Chinese

起初只是拖延，後來卻變本加厲，連計劃也不看了。

qǐ chū zhǐ shì tuō yán ， hòu lái què biàn běn jiā lì ， lián jì huà yě bú kàn le 。

What began as delay grew worse until he no longer even looked at the plan.

及时纠正乱放物品的习惯，免得变本加厉。

### Traditional Chinese

及時糾正亂放物品的習慣，免得變本加厲。

jí shí jiū zhèng luàn fàng wù pǐn de xí guàn ， miǎn de biàn běn jiā lì 。

Correct the habit of leaving things scattered before it becomes worse.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E8%AE%8A%E6%9C%AC%E5%8A%A0%E5%8E%B2)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=614&webMd=1&la=0)

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- [拨乱反正 bō luàn fǎn zhèng Restore order or correct a disordered situation ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/bo-luan-fan-zheng)

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