Degeneration is the name for becoming worse — weaker, less healthy, or less good than before. Doctors use it a lot: a joint slowly wears away, nerve cells fade, the back of the eye loses sharp seeing. The change is usually slow, and often you cannot put the body back the way it was.

Degeneration is the name fordegeneration 是...的名稱 becoming worse「變差」——weaker, less healthy, or less good than before比以前更虛弱、更不健康，或更不好。Doctors use it a lot醫生很常用它：a joint slowly wears away關節慢慢磨損、nerve cells fade神經細胞衰退、the back of the eye loses sharp seeing眼睛後方失去銳利的視力。The change is usually slow這種變化通常很緩慢，and often you cannot put the body back the way it was而且往往沒辦法把身體恢復成原來的樣子。

People also use it about manners, art, or public life, to say that something they valued is sliding downhill. Though actually, that second use is not a calm description: the speaker is judging.

People also use it about manners, art, or public life大家也會用這個字講禮節、藝術，或公共生活，to say that something they valued說他們重視的東西 is sliding downhill正在走下坡。Though actually不過其實，that second use is not a calm description這第二種用法並不是冷靜的描述：the speaker is judging說話的人是在評判。

In everyday talk the word feels formal and heavy; friends are more likely to say things are getting worse. It is a noun, so it names the slide itself, not the act of making someone worse.

In everyday talk the word feels formal and heavy在日常對話裡，這個字感覺很正式、很沉重；friends are more likely to say things are getting worse朋友之間比較會說「情況變糟了」。It is a noun它是名詞，so it names the slide itself所以指的是那個下滑的過程本身，not the act of making someone worse不是「讓某人變差」這個動作。