混蛋 (hún dàn) — (derogatory, vulgar) bastard, scoundrel

Definition

A vulgar insult meaning 'bastard / scoundrel' — stronger and ruder than 坏蛋, which is milder and usable even in light scolding.

noun
(derogatory, vulgar) bastardscoundrel
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 混蛋，！
    Nǐ zhè ge hún dàn, jū rán piàn le suǒ yǒu rén!
    You bastard, you actually cheated everyone!
  • 混蛋。
    Nà ge hún dàn tōu le wǒ de qián bāo.
    That scoundrel stole my wallet.
  • ，混蛋。
    Bié lǐ tā, tā jiù shì gè hún dàn.
    Don't mind him, he's just a bastard.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

混hùnmuddled
蛋dànegg

混 as muddled and 蛋 as egg combine to suggest a muddled person.

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
昆
昆kūn混hùn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

混 pairs 氵 (water) on the left with 昆 on the right, which supplies the sound.

Open 混 →

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
虫虫chóngsnake, insect
Sound part声符shēngfú
延
延yán蛋dàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 蛋, the lower part 虫 is a snake or insect, and the upper part is a shortened 延 giving the sound for 'egg'.

Open 蛋 →
Appears in
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