匆匆忙忙 (cōng cōng máng máng) — in a hurry; hastily

Definition

Reduplicated adverb meaning 'in a hurry, hastily' — paints a picture of being rushed and flustered. Takes 地 before a verb (匆匆忙忙地做).

adverb
in a hurryhastily

Examples

  • 匆匆忙忙。
    Tā cōng cōng máng máng dì chī wán zǎo fàn jiù chū mén le.
    He finished breakfast in a hurry and went out.
  • 匆匆忙忙，。
    Bié zhè me cōng cōng máng máng, wǒ men hái yǒu shí jiān.
    Don't be in such a hurry; we still have time.
  • 匆匆忙忙，。
    Tā cōng cōng máng máng dì shōu shi xíng li, chà diǎn wàng le hù zhào.
    She packed her luggage hastily and almost forgot her passport.

Origin

Reduplicated word
构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

匆匆
匆cōnghurried匆cōnghurried
忙忙
忙mángbusy忙mángbusy

The hurried sense of 匆匆 and the busy sense of 忙忙 reinforce each other to express haste.

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
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
囪
囪cōng匆cōng
Same sound today

The current 匆 comes from a form that paired 囪 for sound with 心 for meaning; the 心 part was dropped, and part of 囪 was left out.

Open 匆 →

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
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
囪
囪cōng匆cōng
Same sound today

The current 匆 comes from a form that paired 囪 for sound with 心 for meaning; the 心 part was dropped, and part of 囪 was left out.

Open 匆 →

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
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
亡
亡wáng忙máng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

忙 pairs 忄 (heart) with 亡, which gives the sound.

Open 忙 →

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
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
亡
亡wáng忙máng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

忙 pairs 忄 (heart) with 亡, which gives the sound.

Open 忙 →

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