匆忙 (cōng máng) — hasty, hurried | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

匆忙 describes acting fast because of time pressure, with a sense of being rushed. It is more neutral than 慌乱 (panicked/flustered) and pairs more with actions than 急 (which can mean 'anxious').

adjective

hastyhurried

Examples

匆忙，。
Tā zǒu dé hěn cōng máng, lián shǒu jī dōu wàng le ná.
He left in such a hurry that he even forgot his phone.
匆忙，。
Bié cōng máng zuò jué dìng, duō kǎo lǜ yí xià.
Don't make hasty decisions; think it over a bit more.
匆忙。
Tā cōng máng dì shōu shi hǎo xíng li jiù chū mén le.
She hurriedly packed her luggage and left.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

匆cōnghurried

匆 and 忙 both point to hurry; together they mean hasty.

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

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.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

忄亡忙

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.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 HSK 2.0 Level 5 Abstract Concepts

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