忙于 (máng yú) — to be busy with; to be engaged in

Definition

A formal/written verb meaning 'to be busy with' — used more in writing than everyday speech, which favors 忙 or 忙着. Takes an object directly (without a preposition).

verb
to be busy withto be engaged in

Examples

  • 忙于。
    Tā zuì jìn yì zhí máng yú zhǔn bèi kǎo shì.
    She has been busy preparing for the exam recently.
  • 忙于，。
    Tā zhěng tiān máng yú gōng zuò, hěn shǎo yǒu shí jiān xiū xi.
    He is busy with work all day and rarely has time to rest.
  • 忙于。
    Dà jiā dōu zài máng yú chūn jié de zhǔn bèi gōng zuò.
    Everyone is busy with the preparations for the Spring Festival.

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.

忙mángbusy
于yúat

忙 means busy and 于 links that state to what someone is occupied with, giving the sense of being busy with something.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
亡
亡wáng忙máng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

忙 pairs 忄 (heart) with 亡, which gives the sound.

Open 忙 →

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

  • 一一yīflat stream of air
  • 丂丂kǎoto exhale

The old shape of 于 may have pictured an ancient wind instrument. Another explanation reads 一 as a flat stream of air and 丂 as an exhaling mark.

Open 于 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.