游荡 (yóu dàng) — to wander aimlessly, to drift; to loaf about, t…

Definition

A verb for wandering or drifting without direction or purpose — used for people (and sometimes ghosts or smells) moving about idly.

verb

to wander aimlesslyto driftto loaf aboutto be idle

游荡，。
Tā měi tiān zài jiē shàng yóu dàng, shén me yě bú zuò.
He wanders the streets every day and does nothing.
游荡，。
Shī yè hòu tā zhěng tiān zài jiā yóu dàng, ràng rén hěn dān xīn.
After losing his job, he loafs around at home all day, which worries people.
游荡，。
Tā nián qīng shí céng zài gè dì yóu dàng, hòu lái cái ān dìng xià lái.
He used to drift around various places when he was young, and only later settled down.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

游 means roam, 荡 means drift; together they denote wandering aimlessly.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

斿

斿yóu游yóu

Same sound today

游 combines 水 (water) with 斿, which gives the sound yóu and also relates to travelling.

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 蕩; 荡 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 荡 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 蕩; in others it is 盪.

艹湯蕩

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎo

Sound part声符shēngfú

湯

湯tāng蕩dàng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

About the traditional form 蕩: it is made of 艹 (grass, written fully as 艸) and 湯, which gives the sound. The simplified 荡 is only a later shorthand.

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