眼花缭乱 (yǎn huā liáo luàn) — to be dazzled; overwhelmed by a dazzling scene | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'eyes dazzled, vision in disarray' — used when so many impressive things flash before you that you can't take them all in. Conveys being overwhelmed by variety or brilliance, not just 'surprised'.

idiom

to be dazzledoverwhelmed by a dazzling scene

Examples

，眼花缭乱。
Zǒu jìn shāng chǎng, gè zhǒng shāng pǐn ràng rén yǎn huā liáo luàn.
Walking into the mall, all kinds of goods dazzle you.
，眼花缭乱。
Jié rì dēng shì wǔ cǎi bīn fēn, kàn dé wǒ yǎn huā liáo luàn.
The festive lights were so colorful that I was dazzled.
，眼花缭乱。
Cài dān shàng cài míng tài duō, wǒ zhēn yǎn huā liáo luàn.
There are too many dish names on the menu; I'm really dazzled.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

眼花eyes dazzled

眼yǎneye花huādazzled

主谓Subject + predicate

缭乱tangled confusion

缭liáotangled乱luànconfused

联合Coordinate

眼 and 花 describe the eyes becoming dazzled, while 缭 and 乱 add a sense of tangled confusion.

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.

目艮眼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

目目mùeye

Sound part声符shēngfú

艮

艮gèn眼yǎn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

眼 combines 目, which is an eye, with 艮, which gives the character's sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

艹化花

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

化

Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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 亂; 乱 is its simplified writing.

𤔔乚亂

Meaning part形符xíngfú

乚Written in full as乙yǐ

Sound part声符shēngfú

𤔔

𤔔𤔔亂luàn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 亂 contains 𤔔, a drawing of combing tangled threads, and 乙; the simplified 乱 is only a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

Appears in

Idioms & Set Phrases Senses

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