搅乱 (jiǎo luàn) — to disrupt; to throw into disorder; to mess up

Definition

搅乱 emphasizes actively disturbing an existing state — plans, order, mood, atmosphere — making things worse. It focuses on the disruption of a situation rather than confusing a person.

verb
to disruptto throw into disorderto mess up

Examples

  • 搅乱。
    Tā de fā yán chè dǐ jiǎo luàn le huì yì de qì fen.
    His speech completely disrupted the atmosphere of the meeting.
  • 搅乱。
    Zhè chǎng dà yǔ jiǎo luàn le wǒ men de chū xíng jì huà.
    This heavy rain messed up our travel plans.
  • 搅乱。
    Bú yào jiǎo luàn dà jiā de xīn qíng.
    Don't upset everyone's mood.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

搅jiǎostir
乱luàndisorder

搅 means stir or mix, and 乱 gives the result of disorder.

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 攪; 搅 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
覺
覺jué攪jiǎo
Same sound today

The traditional form 攪 uses 扌 (hand) to show the action and 覺 for its sound; the simplified 搅 is a later shorthand.

Open 搅 →

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 →

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