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热闹 (rè nao) — (adjective) lively, bustling with noise and excitement; (noun) a lively atmosphere, excitement, fun; (verb) to liven up, to have a good time together (often reduplicated or with 一下)

Definition

热闹 describes a place or scene that is full of noise, people, and excitement (festivals, streets, parties). Unlike 兴奋, which is a personal feeling of being excited, 热闹 is about the lively atmosphere around you.

adjective
lively, bustling with noise and excitement
noun
a lively atmosphereexcitementfun
verb
to liven upto have a good time together (often reduplicated or with 一下)

Examples

  • ，热闹。
    Chūn jié de shí hou, jiē shàng tè bié rè nao.
    During Spring Festival, the streets are especially lively.
  • 热闹，。
    Tā bù xǐ huan rè nao, xǐ huan ān jìng.
    He doesn't like bustle; he prefers quiet.
  • 热闹。
    Zán men lái rè nao yí xià.
    Let's liven things up a bit.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

热rèbustling
闹nàonoisy

热 and 闹 both suggest a bustling, noisy scene, so the word means lively.

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 熱; 热 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì熱rè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 熱 pairs 埶 with 火 (written as 灬) to show heat, while 埶 gives a sound.

Open 热 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鬧; 闹 is its simplified writing.

  • 鬥鬥dòuto fight
  • 市市shìmarket; town

The traditional form 鬧 combines 鬥 (to fight) and 市 (market; town) to mean noisy.

Open 闹 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4HSK 2.0 Level 4Emotions & Feelings

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