Skip to content
měi 每 kuàng 况 yù 愈 xià 下

每况愈下 měi kuàng yù xià

to go from bad to worse; steadily deteriorating

Literally: each situation more down

Advanced 🏁 Success & failure
🃏 Practise advanced chengyu

Tap a character above to see its stroke order and the words it appears in.

Origin

A reordering of 每下愈况 from the Zhuangzi (Zhi Bei You), where it meant that examining lower parts makes the truth clearer; the modern meaning of steady decline arose from the inverted form.

How to use it

Predicate; negative. Often 健康每况愈下 or 经营状况每况愈下.

Example sentences

Show:

Tap any word for its meaning and pinyin. The chengyu is highlighted.

  1. 自从换了管理层，公司的业绩每况愈下。
    Zìcóng huàn le guǎnlǐcéng, gōngsī de yèjì měi kuàng yù xià.
    Since the management changed, the company's performance has gone from bad to worse.
    since change (aspect particle) management level, company (attributive particle) performance each situation more down
  2. 老人的身体每况愈下，家人都十分担心。
    Lǎorén de shēntǐ měi kuàng yù xià, jiārén dōu shífēn dānxīn.
    The old man's health is steadily deteriorating and the family is very worried.
    old person (attributive particle) body each situation more down, family member all very worried

More chengyu about success & failure

All success & failure chengyu →