退化 (tuìhuà) — degeneration; to degenerate; to deteriorate
HSK 5 | verb/noun | biological or metaphorical decline to a lower or weaker state
退化 (tuìhuà)
退化 describes the process of declining, weakening, or degenerating to a more primitive or inferior state, used in biology, medicine, and broader metaphorical contexts.
Meanings
- [verb/noun] degeneration; to degenerate (biological or evolutionary)
- [verb/noun] deterioration; to deteriorate; to regress
Example Sentences
长期缺乏锻炼会导致肌肉退化，影响身体健康。 Chángqī quēfá duànliàn huì dǎozhì jīròu tuìhuà, yǐngxiǎng shēntǐ jiànkāng. Long-term lack of exercise can cause muscle degeneration and affect physical health.
穴居鱼类因为长期生活在黑暗中，眼睛逐渐退化。 Xuéjū yúlèi yīnwèi chángqī shēnghuó zài hēi'àn zhōng, yǎnjīng zhújiàn tuìhuà. Cave fish gradually experienced eye degeneration after living in darkness for a long time.
如果不持续学习，专业技能会逐渐退化。 Rúguǒ bù chíxù xuéxí, zhuānyè jìnéng huì zhújiàn tuìhuà. If you don't keep learning, professional skills will gradually deteriorate.
社会道德的退化是一个令人担忧的现象。 Shèhuì dàodé de tuìhuà shì yīgè lìng rén dānyōu de xiànxiàng. The moral degeneration of society is a worrying phenomenon.
阑尾在人类进化过程中逐渐退化，现在几乎没有功能。 Lǎnwěi zài rénlèi jìnhuà guòchéng zhōng zhújiàn tuìhuà, xiànzài jīhū méiyǒu gōngnéng. The appendix gradually degenerated during human evolution and now has almost no function.
记忆力退化是老年人常见的生理现象，不必过于担心。 Jìyìlì tuìhuà shì lǎoniánrén chángjiàn de shēnglǐ xiànxiàng, bùbì guòyú dānyōu. Memory deterioration is a common physiological phenomenon in the elderly; there is no need to be overly worried.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 肌肉退化 (jīròu tuìhuà) | muscle degeneration |
| 功能退化 (gōngnéng tuìhuà) | functional deterioration |
| 逐渐退化 (zhújiàn tuìhuà) | gradually degenerate |
| 道德退化 (dàodé tuìhuà) | moral degeneration |
| 退化现象 (tuìhuà xiànxiàng) | degenerative phenomenon |
| 器官退化 (qìguān tuìhuà) | organ degeneration |
Usage Notes
退化 is the direct antonym of 进化 (jìnhuà, evolution/advancement). In biology, 退化 refers to vestigial structures or the loss of traits over time (e.g., the human tailbone). In everyday and formal usage, it describes any decline in function, ability, or quality.
It differs from 衰退 (shuāituì, decline/recession), which often refers to economic or energy-level decline, and 恶化 (èhuà, deterioration/worsening), which implies a situation becoming worse rather than regressing to a simpler state.
Memory Hook
退 (to retreat/step back) + 化 (to transform) = to transform by stepping backwards.