TongTong
Sign in

熙熙攘攘 (xī xī rǎng rǎng) — (idiom) bustling with activity; crowded and lively

Definition

A literary chengyu describing a crowded scene full of people coming and going. Stronger and more written than 热闹, and focused on crowds rather than the activity of 忙碌.

idiom
bustling with activitycrowded and lively

Examples

  • 熙熙攘攘，。
    Zhōu mò de shāng chǎng lǐ xī xī rǎng rǎng de, dào chù dōu shì rén.
    The mall on the weekend is bustling with people everywhere.
  • 熙熙攘攘。
    Wǒ cóng lái méi qù guò nà me xī xī rǎng rǎng de dì fāng.
    I've never been to such a bustling place.
  • ，熙熙攘攘，。
    Lǚ yóu wàng jì, gǔ chéng lǐ xī xī rǎng rǎng, rè nao jí le.
    During the peak tourist season, the ancient city is bustling and extremely lively.

Origin

Reduplicated word
构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

熙熙bright and prosperous
熙xībright/prosperous熙xībright/prosperous
重叠Reduplication
攘攘crowded and bustling
攘rǎngcrowded攘rǎngcrowded
重叠Reduplication

熙熙 suggests bright, prosperous vitality, while 攘攘 adds crowded, pushing-and-shoving bustle.

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
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
巸
巸yí熙xī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

熙 combines 巸, which gives the sound, with 灬, the bottom form of 火 (fire).

Open 熙 →

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
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
巸
巸yí熙xī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

熙 combines 巸, which gives the sound, with 灬, the bottom form of 火 (fire).

Open 熙 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 攘 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 攘 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.