杜撰 (dù zhuàn) — to fabricate (a story, excuse, etc.), to make u…

Definition

Formal, written verb meaning 'to fabricate, make up' (a story, data, excuse). Stronger and more literary than everyday 捏造 niēzào.

verb

to fabricate (a story, excuse, etc.)to make up (something false)

杜撰。
Tā dù zhuàn le yí gè jiè kǒu lái táo bì zé rèn.
He fabricated an excuse to shirk responsibility.
杜撰。
Zhè piān wén zhāng de nèi róng wán quán shì dù zhuàn chū lái de.
The content of this article is completely fabricated.
杜撰，。
Bú yào dù zhuàn shù jù, kē xué yán jiū xū yào zhēn shí.
Don't fabricate data; scientific research requires truth.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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

扌巽撰

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒu

Sound part声符shēngfú

巽

巽xùn撰zhuàn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

撰 pairs 扌 (hand) with 巽, which gives the sound; the hand part relates to the meaning.

Appears in