扰动 (rǎo dòng) — to disturb, to disrupt; (physics/engineering) perturbation, to perturb

Definition

Literate/scientific word for 'to disturb, to perturb' — stronger and more technical than everyday 打扰, and used in physics/engineering for a small disturbance to a system.

verb
to disturbto disrupt(physics/engineering) perturbationto perturb

Examples

  • 扰动。
    Qǐng bú yào rǎo dòng kè táng zhì xù.
    Please do not disturb classroom order.
  • 扰动。
    Fēng duì fēi xíng qì chǎn shēng le qì liú rǎo dòng.
    The wind caused airflow perturbation to the aircraft.
  • 扰动。
    Zhè zhǒng zào yīn huì rǎo dòng fù jìn jū mín de shēng huó.
    This kind of noise will disturb the life of nearby residents.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

扰rǎodisturb
动dòngstir

扰 and 动 both point to stirring or disturbing something; together they mean to cause a disturbance or perturbation.

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 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 →

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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