懒洋洋 (lǎn yāng yāng) — languid; indolent; listless

Definition

A vivid, colloquial adverbial meaning 'languid and lazy' — describes someone's slow, slack posture or mood (e.g. lying around, half-asleep). Stronger and more pictorial than plain 懒.

verb
languidindolentlistless

Examples

  • 懒洋洋，。
    Tā lǎn yāng yāng dì tǎng zài shā fā shàng, bù xiǎng dòng.
    He lay languidly on the sofa, not wanting to move.
  • ，懒洋洋。
    Xiǎo māo shài zhe tài yáng, yí fù lǎn yāng yāng de yàng zi.
    The kitten basked in the sun, looking all lazy.
  • ，懒洋洋，。
    Jīn tiān zhōu mò, dà jiā dōu lǎn yāng yāng de, bù xiǎng chū mén.
    It's the weekend; everyone is feeling languid and doesn't want to go out.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

懒lǎnlazy
洋洋languid
洋yáng洋yáng
重叠Reduplication

The doubled “洋” adds a languid, listless feel to “懒”.

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 懶; 懒 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
賴
賴lài懶lǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 懶 pairs 忄 (heart) with 賴, which gives the sound; the simplified 懒 is a later shorthand.

Open 懒 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
羊
羊yáng洋yáng
Same sound today

洋 pairs 氵, the water part, with 羊 to give its sound.

Open 洋 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
羊
羊yáng洋yáng
Same sound today

洋 pairs 氵, the water part, with 羊 to give its sound.

Open 洋 →

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