蔓延 (màn yán) — to spread (of fire, diseases, negative trends);… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Pictorial word for things that creep outward on their own — fire, disease, bad habits — often unintentionally. 传播 is human-driven (media, information); 扩散 is more physical/scientific.

verb

to spread (of fire, diseases, negative trends)to extend gradually

Examples

蔓延。
Zhè zhǒng jí bìng zhèng zài quán qiú màn yán.
This disease is spreading globally.
蔓延。
Huǒ shì màn màn màn yán kāi lái.
The fire slowly spread outward.
蔓延。
Bù liáng fēng qì róng yì zài nián qīng rén zhōng màn yán.
Bad practices easily spread among young people.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

Both 蔓 and 延 carry the sense of spreading, so the word pictures gradual extension.

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

艸艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

曼

曼màn蔓màn

Same sound today

蔓 combines 艸, a plant marker, with 曼, which gives its sound.

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

彳彳chìwalking
止止zhǐfoot

The shape of 延 adds a top stroke to a form showing 彳 (walking) and 止 (foot), originally meaning to travel far, to show prolonging.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Change & Process

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