乱动 (luàn dòng) — to move or touch something carelessly or without permission; to mess with things

Definition

Means to touch, move, or tamper with things carelessly or without permission — usually about someone else's belongings. Often carries a warning or reproach tone, e.g. 别乱动 my things.

verb
to move or touch something carelessly or without permissionto mess with things

Examples

  • 乱动。
    Bié luàn dòng wǒ de dōng xī.
    Don't touch my things.
  • 乱动，。
    Tā xǐ huan luàn dòng, bǎ fáng jiān nòng dé luàn qī bā zāo.
    He likes to mess with things, making the room a complete mess.
  • 乱动。
    Zài bó wù guǎn lǐ bú yào luàn dòng zhǎn pǐn.
    Don't touch the exhibits in the museum.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

乱luàndisorderly
动dòngmove

乱动 uses 乱 (disorderly) with 动 (move) to describe careless movement.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 亂; 乱 is its simplified writing.

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.

Open 乱 →

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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