糜烂

糜爛

mílàn

verb #32,452

Meanings

1 to erode / ulcerate (medical)
2 to fester / rot
3 dissipated / decadent (figurative)

Characters

Examples

胃镜显示胃黏膜有糜烂。

Wèijìng xiǎnshì wèi niánmó yǒu mílàn.

The gastroscopy showed erosion of the stomach lining.

他过着糜烂的生活。

Tā guòzhe mílàn de shēnghuó.

He leads a dissolute life.

Tips

usage

Medical use (mucosal erosion, 胃糜烂 gastritis-level damage) and moral use (decadent, 糜烂的生活) share the same character. The literal sense is rotten food turning to mush — 糜 originally meant congee/porridge.

Stroke Order

糜 mí

烂 làn