多管闲事 (duō guǎn xián shì) — to meddle; to be a busybody; to be intrusive

Definition

An idiomatic verb meaning 'to meddle / be a busybody' — implies sticking one's nose into others' affairs uninvited. Often used as a reproach or warning.

verb

to meddleto be a busybodyto be intrusive

Examples

，。
Tā guǎn le tài duō xián shì, bié rén dōu jué de tā hěn fán.
He meddled too much, and others all found him annoying.
多管闲事。
Bú yào zǒng shì duō guǎn xián shì.
Don't always meddle.
多管闲事。
Tā yòu zài duō guǎn xián shì le.
He's meddling again.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

多管much meddling

多duōmuch管guǎnmeddle

偏正Modifier + head

闲事idle matters

闲xiánidle事shìmatter

偏正Modifier + head

多管, much meddling, and 闲事, idle matters, combine to mean meddling in unnecessary affairs.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

多 originally showed two pieces of meat placed together; the repeated meat shape gives the sense of many.

Open 多 →

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

竹官管

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

官

官guān管guǎn

Same sound today

管 has 竹 (bamboo) on top to show it relates to bamboo, and 官 gives its sound.

Open 管 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 閒; 闲 is its simplified writing.

門月閒

門門méndoor
月月yuèmoon

The traditional form 閒 puts 月 (moon) inside 門 (door), as if moonlight peeks through a door; this picture gives the idea of a gap or space. The simplified 闲 is a later abbreviation.

Open 闲 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.