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忙碌 (máng lù) — busy; bustling (of a person or a place)

Definition

忙碌 is a more formal, written alternative to 忙, often describing people or scenes over an extended period. 繁忙 is similar but emphasizes a heavy workload or peak activity.

adjective
busybustling (of a person or a place)

Examples

  • 忙碌。
    Tā měi tiān cóng zǎo dào wǎn dōu hěn máng lù.
    She is busy from morning till night every day.
  • ，忙碌。
    Zuì jìn gōng sī xiàng mù duō, dà jiā dōu hěn máng lù.
    The company has many projects lately, so everyone is very busy.
  • ，忙碌。
    Zhōu mò de shāng chǎng lǐ rén lái rén wǎng, yí piàn máng lù jǐng xiàng.
    The shopping mall on weekends is full of people coming and going, a bustling scene.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

忙mángbusy
碌lùoccupied

Both 忙 and 碌 convey being occupied, so the sense is busy.

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
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
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
彔
彔lù碌lù
Same sound today

碌 is made of 石 (stone) and 彔, with 彔 giving the sound.

Open 碌 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 6Daily RoutineWorkplace & Office

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