<blockquote>
  <p>The term 'decadence' should be translated as '沈溺與腐化' (indulge and corrupt) </p>
</blockquote>

<p>~</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The term 'decline' should be translated as  <strong>衰落 (decline/ descend)</strong>; 衰退 (decline/ recede); 減弱 (decline/ weakening); 減少 (decline/ decrease)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I don't think translating '衰落' as 'decadence' is accurate.</p>

<p>Translate "the 贾 family's decline" as "贾家的衰落" is a correct translation. </p>

<ul>
<li><p>衰落: decline/ descend from a high status or position</p></li>
<li><p>衰退: decline/ recede from the front or forward position</p></li>
<li><p>減弱: decline/ weakening in strength</p></li>
<li><p>減少: decline/ decrease in number or amount</p></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-16T18:34:50.390Z
2019-04-17T04:26:09.087Z
2019-04-17T04:26:09.087Z
Tang Ho
<p>The phrase you are looking for is "come/go down in the world", meaning to lose wealth or high social rank in one's past. It can be translated to Chinese as "家道中落".</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-17T01:36:47.803Z
2019-04-17T01:36:47.803Z
John Z. Li
<p>I'm trying to describe the plot of the work 红楼梦 using the phrase "the 贾 family's decline". The word for decline, though is confusing me. After putting "decline" through a few online translators, I've received the word 衰落. But when I reverse the translation to check it, sometimes I get decline and sometimes decadence, which is not what I'm trying to say. Is there a more appropriate word in this context to say decline without the implication of decadence? </p>

<word-choice><word-requests>
衰落：decadence or decline?
# 衰落：decadence or decline?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-04-16)

I'm trying to describe the plot of the work 红楼梦 using the phrase "the 贾 family's decline". The word for decline, though is confusing me. After putting "decline" through a few online translators, I've received the word 衰落. But when I reverse the translation to check it, sometimes I get decline and sometimes decadence, which is not what I'm trying to say. Is there a more appropriate word in this context to say decline without the implication of decadence?

**Tags:** word-choice, word-requests


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-04-17. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

The phrase you are looking for is "come/go down in the world", meaning to lose wealth or high social rank in one's past. It can be translated to Chinese as "家道中落".


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### Answer by username_1 on 2019-04-16. Score: 2

> The term 'decadence' should be translated as '沈溺與腐化' (indulge and corrupt)

~

> The term 'decline' should be translated as **衰落 (decline/ descend)**; 衰退 (decline/ recede); 減弱 (decline/ weakening); 減少 (decline/ decrease)

I don't think translating '衰落' as 'decadence' is accurate.

Translate "the 贾 family's decline" as "贾家的衰落" is a correct translation.

* 衰落: decline/ descend from a high status or position
* 衰退: decline/ recede from the front or forward position
* 減弱: decline/ weakening in strength
* 減少: decline/ decrease in number or amount


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