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团团转 (tuán tuán zhuàn) — to run around in circles (from being very busy or anxious); to be in a fluster

Definition

A vivid verb phrase: 'running around in circles', driven by anxiety, urgency, or being overwhelmed. The reduplication 团团 emphasizes the spinning-in-place motion. Common after 急得 or 忙得 to describe frantic, purposeless activity.

verb
to run around in circles (from being very busy or anxious)to be in a fluster

Examples

  • 团团转，。
    Tā zuì jìn máng dé tuán tuán zhuàn, lián chī fàn de shí jiān dōu méi yǒu.
    He's been running around in circles lately, not even having time to eat.
  • ，团团转，。
    Hái zi diū le, tā jí dé tuán tuán zhuàn, dào chù zhǎo.
    Her child was lost; she was so anxious she ran around in circles, searching everywhere.
  • ，团团转。
    Gōng sī chū le dà wèn tí, zhěng gè tuán duì jí dé tuán tuán zhuàn.
    The company had a big problem, and the whole team was running around frantically.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

团团round and round
团tuánround团tuánround
重叠Reduplication
转zhuǎnturn

团团转 uses 团团 'round and round' with 转 'turn' to show spinning or being flustered.

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 團; 团 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān團tuán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form 團 combines 囗 as a meaning part with 專 as a sound part; the story is about 團, not about 团.

Open 团 →

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 團; 团 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān團tuán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form 團 combines 囗 as a meaning part with 專 as a sound part; the story is about 團, not about 团.

Open 团 →

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 轉; 转 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān轉zhuǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 轉 combines 車, a carriage, with 專 as a sound part; the simplified 转 is a later shorthand.

Open 转 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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