Meaning and Usage
The character 烂 (làn) primarily describes something that is rotten, decayed, or overly soft and mushy. It is often used for food that has spoiled, such as fruit or meat. Beyond literal decay, 烂 can also describe something in a very poor or ruined state, like a plan or a situation.
Common Collocations
- 烂苹果 (rotten apple): used literally for spoiled fruit.
- 肉烂 (meat is soft/mushy): describes texture after cooking or spoilage.
- 计划烂 (plan is bad): figurative use meaning a plan is a failure or very poor.
Usage Notes
烂 often carries a negative connotation, implying something is unusable or undesirable. When describing food, it means it is no longer fresh or safe to eat. When used figuratively, it emphasizes failure or poor quality. It is more informal and colloquial compared to synonyms like 腐烂 (fǔlàn), which is more formal and scientific.
Common Confusions
Do not confuse 烂 (làn) with 烂 (làn) pronounced differently in other contexts (rare). Also, avoid mixing it with 烧 (shāo, to burn) or 烤 (kǎo, to roast), which relate to cooking but not spoilage.
Summary
Use 烂 to describe spoiled food or something that is soft and falling apart, as well as to criticize plans or things that are in a very bad state. It is a versatile adjective with both literal and figurative uses in everyday speech.