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惹麻烦 (rě má fan) — to cause trouble, to stir up trouble

Definition

Literally 'to stir up trouble' — 惹 introduces the cause, 麻烦 is the trouble itself, so this verb always takes trouble as its object. Use when the subject is the one who creates a problem for others, not the one who has the problem.

verb
to cause troubleto stir up trouble

Examples

  • 惹麻烦。
    Bié gěi wǒ rě má fan.
    Don't cause trouble for me.
  • 。
    Tā jīng cháng zài wài miàn rě má fan.
    He often stirs up trouble outside.
  • ？
    Nǐ zhè cì rě le shén me má fan?
    What trouble did you stir up this time?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

惹rěto cause
麻烦trouble
麻mátrouble烦fántroubled
联合Coordinate

惹 means to cause and 麻烦 means trouble, so 惹麻烦 is to cause trouble.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 惹 →

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

麻 combines 厂 and 𣏟 to represent hemp leaves.

Open 麻 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 煩; 烦 is its simplified writing.

In the traditional form 煩, the shape is made from 火 (fire) and 頁 (head).

Open 烦 →
Appears in
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