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乌烟瘴气 (wū yān zhàng qì) — (idiom) an atmosphere of chaos, corruption, or unhealthy influences; a terrible mess

Definition

Strongly negative idiom describing a place or situation that has become a 'toxic mess' — chaotic, corrupt, or poisoned by bad influences. Often used with 被搞得 / 让... (something has turned things into a mess).

idiom
an atmosphere of chaoscorruptionor unhealthy influencesa terrible mess

Examples

  • 乌烟瘴气，。
    Nà ge gōng sī bèi gǎo dé wū yān zhàng qì, méi yǒu rén néng ān xīn gōng zuò.
    That company has been turned into a chaotic mess; no one can work in peace.
  • ，乌烟瘴气，。
    Zì cóng tā lái le yǐ hòu, zhěng gè bù mén wū yān zhàng qì, tóng shì zhī jiān hù xiāng cāi yí.
    Ever since he arrived, the whole department has been full of conflict, with colleagues suspicious of each other.
  • 乌烟瘴气，。
    Wǎng luò shàng de yáo yán ràng píng lùn qū wū yān zhàng qì, wǒ men xū yào qīng lǐ yí xià.
    The rumors online made the comment section a toxic chaos; we need to clean it up.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

乌烟black smoke
乌wūblack烟yānsmoke
偏正Modifier + head
瘴气poisonous air
瘴zhàngpoisonous fog气qìair
偏正Modifier + head

'乌烟' black smoke and '瘴气' poisonous air together describe a foul, pestilent atmosphere.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 烏; 乌 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 烏 is a drawing of a bird. The simplified 乌 is a later abbreviation.

Open 乌 →

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 煙; 烟 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 烟 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (烟) it is 煙; in others it is 菸.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
垔
垔yīn煙yān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

This story is about the traditional form 煙, not the simplified 烟. It pairs 火, fire, with 垔, which gives the sound.

Open 烟 →

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
疒疒nèillness
Sound part声符shēngfú
章
章zhāng瘴⁰zhàng
Same sound today

The shape 瘴 pairs 疒, meaning illness, with 章, used for the sound.

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 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsIdioms & Set Phrases

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