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混杂 (hùn zá) — to mix together, to jumble (different kinds of things); to become mixed up or chaotic (as a result of mixing)

Definition

混杂 (hùnzá) means different kinds of things getting mixed up together, often in a way that feels disorderly — more about chaos and confusion than a simple 混合 (deliberate blending). Common in the pattern 混杂在一起.

verb
to mix togetherto jumble (different kinds of things)to become mixed up or chaotic (as a result of mixing)

Examples

  • 混杂。
    Zhè liǎng duī lā jī hùn zá zài yì qǐ le.
    These two piles of trash have become mixed together.
  • 混杂，。
    Rén qún hé chē liàng hùn zá, jiāo tōng fēi cháng hùn luàn.
    People and vehicles were all mixed together, and traffic was very chaotic.
  • 混杂。
    Bú yào bǎ lǐ lùn hé shí jiàn hùn zá zài yì qǐ.
    Don't mix theory and practice together indiscriminately.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

混hùnmix
杂zámixed

混 and 杂 both refer to things being mixed together.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
昆
昆kūn混hùn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

混 pairs 氵 (water) on the left with 昆 on the right, which supplies the sound.

Open 混 →

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 雜; 杂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衣衣yī
Sound part声符shēngfú
集
集jí雜zá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 雜 pairs 衣 (clothes) with 集 as a sound part, originally referring to mixed colours, perhaps in dyed clothes; the simplified 杂 is a later shorthand.

Open 杂 →
Appears in
Change & Process

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