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散漫 (sǎn màn) — careless and disorganized; sloppy; undisciplined

Definition

An adjective for a person or group that is undisciplined and unfocused in work or habits. It blends careless behavior with a lack of order or discipline.

adjective
careless and disorganizedsloppyundisciplined

Examples

  • 散漫，。
    Tā gōng zuò hěn sǎn màn, jīng cháng chū cuò.
    He is very careless at work and often makes mistakes.
  • 散漫，。
    Zhè ge tuán duì jì lǜ sǎn màn, xiào lǜ hěn dī.
    This team is undisciplined and very inefficient.
  • 散漫，。
    Tā de shēng huó xí guàn tài sǎn màn le, fáng jiān zǒng shì hěn luàn.
    His living habits are too sloppy; his room is always messy.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

散sànscattered
漫màndiffuse

“散” means scattered and “漫” means diffuse, together describing a loose, disorganized manner.

Characters in this word

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

  • 林林líntrees, forest
  • 攴攴pūto knock, to tap

散 combines 林 (trees or forest) and 攴 (to knock or tap), originally showing knocking to clear vegetation, later extended to breaking up or dispersing.

Open 散 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
曼
曼màn漫
Same sound today

漫 uses 氵 (water) and 曼 for the sound; 曼 also means “vast, extended,” showing water spread out or overflowing.

Open 漫 →
Appears in
Personality & Traits

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