乱蓬蓬 (luàn péng péng) — disheveled and tangled (of hair, fur, grass, etc.); messy and bushy

Definition

A vivid, onomatopoeic-feeling adjective for hair, fur, or grass that is tangled and sticking out in every direction. Usually appears as ∼的 before a noun or in a predicate (头发乱蓬蓬的).

verb
disheveled and tangled (of hair, fur, grass, etc.)messy and bushy

Examples

  • ，乱蓬蓬。
    Tā gāng qǐ chuáng, tóu fa luàn péng péng de.
    He just got up, and his hair is disheveled.
  • 乱蓬蓬，。
    Nà zhī māo de máo luàn péng péng de, hǎo xiàng hěn jiǔ méi shū le.
    That cat's fur is all tangled, as if it hasn't been brushed in a long time.
  • ，乱蓬蓬。
    Fēng chuī guò hòu, tā de tóu fa biàn de luàn péng péng de.
    After the wind blew, her hair became messy and tangled.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

乱luàndisorder
蓬蓬tangled look
蓬péngbushy蓬péngbushy

The disorder in 乱 is shaped by the bushy, tangled look of 蓬蓬, describing hair or grass as messy.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 亂; 乱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
乚Written in full as乙yǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
𤔔
𤔔𤔔亂luàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 亂 contains 𤔔, a drawing of combing tangled threads, and 乙; the simplified 乱 is only a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 乱 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎovegetation
Sound part声符shēngfú
逢
逢féng蓬péng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

蓬 pairs 艸 (vegetation) with 逢, which gives the sound.

Open 蓬 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎovegetation
Sound part声符shēngfú
逢
逢féng蓬péng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

蓬 pairs 艸 (vegetation) with 逢, which gives the sound.

Open 蓬 →

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