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惊扰 (jīng rǎo) — to disturb, to alarm, to startle

Definition

惊扰 combines 惊 ('startle, alarm') with 扰 ('disturb'), so it means startling or alarming someone enough to disrupt them. Use it when an unwelcome intrusion disrupts rest, quiet, or peace.

verb
to disturbto alarmto startle

Examples

  • 惊扰。
    Tā de jiǎo bù shēng jīng rǎo le shù shàng de niǎo.
    His footsteps startled the birds in the tree.
  • 惊扰。
    Qǐng bú yào jīng rǎo zhèng zài xiū xi de rén.
    Please don't disturb people who are resting.
  • 惊扰。
    Tū rán de xiǎng shēng jīng rǎo le dà jiā.
    The sudden noise alarmed everyone.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

惊jīngalarm
扰rǎodisturb

“惊” and “扰” both give disturbing, so together they mean alarm or agitate.

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xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
京
京jīng惊jīng
Same sound today

惊 is made from 忄 (heart) and 京, which gives the sound.

Open 惊 →

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 擾; 扰 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
夒
夒náo擾rǎo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 擾 combines 手 (hand) with 夒, a sound part; the simplified 扰 is a later shorthand, so its visible pieces are not the historical parts.

Open 扰 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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