零散 (líng sàn) — scattered, piecemeal, not organized into a whole

Definition

Describes things or time that are broken into small, disconnected pieces with no order. As an adjective, it typically goes before a noun or after 很, e.g. 零散的时间 ('scattered bits of time').

adjective
scatteredpiecemealnot organized into a whole

Examples

  • 零散，。
    Zhè xiē zī liào hěn líng sàn, xū yào zhěng lǐ yí xià.
    These materials are scattered; they need to be organized.
  • 零散。
    Tā lì yòng líng sàn de shí jiān xué xí wài yǔ.
    He uses scattered bits of time to study foreign languages.
  • 零散。
    líng sàn De líng jiàn duī zài zhuō shàng.
    Scattered parts are piled on the table.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

零língscattered
散sànscattered

零 and 散 both carry the sense of scattered or piecemeal.

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
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng零líng
Same sound today

In 零, the 雨 part depicts thick raindrops falling from the sky; the 令 part gives the sound.

Open 零 →

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

  • 林林líntrees, forest
  • 攴攴pūto knock, to tap

散 combines 林 (trees or forest) and 攴 (to knock or tap), originally showing knocking to clear vegetation, later extended to breaking up or dispersing.

Open 散 →

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