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泛滥 (fàn làn) — (of water) to be in flood, to overflow (the banks); to inundate; (of undesirable things) to spread unchecked, to proliferate

Definition

A formal/literary verb: literal 'water overflows the banks', extended to 'undesirable things spread unchecked'. Stronger and more vivid than 扩散; 比 淹没 and 溢 carry the negative connotation of something getting out of control.

verb
(of water) to be in floodto overflow (the banks)to inundate(of undesirable things) to spread uncheckedto proliferate

Examples

  • 泛滥，。
    Hé shuǐ fàn làn, yān mò le zhōu wéi de nóng tián.
    The river overflowed, submerging the surrounding farmlands.
  • 泛滥，。
    Xū jiǎ xìn xī zài wǎng shàng fēng kuáng fàn làn, pò huài shè huì xìn rèn.
    False information spreads unchecked online, destroying social trust.
  • 泛滥，。
    Zhè zhǒng bù liáng fēng qì rú guǒ jì xù fàn làn, hòu guǒ huì hěn yán zhòng.
    If this bad trend continues to spread unchecked, the consequences will be severe.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

泛fànoverflow
滥lànflood

The parts for overflowing and flood combine to describe water spilling beyond its banks and spreading unchecked.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
乏
乏fá泛fàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

泛 pairs 氵 (water) with 乏, which gives the sound.

Open 泛 →

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 濫; 滥 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
監
監jiān濫làn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 濫 pairs 水, water, with 監 to give the sound; the simplified 滥 is a later shorthand.

Open 滥 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Environment & Ecology

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