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焦头烂额 (jiāo tóu làn é) — (idiom) in a terrible fix, completely overwhelmed, in deep trouble

Definition

An idiom (lit. 'scorched head, blistered forehead') describing being overwhelmed by trouble on every front — busier and more desperate than simply 'busy' or 'in a bad fix'.

idiom
in a terrible fixcompletely overwhelmedin deep trouble

Examples

  • ，焦头烂额。
    Zuì jìn gōng zuò tài duō, wǒ máng dé jiāo tóu làn é.
    There's too much work lately — I'm completely swamped.
  • 焦头烂额。
    Tā bèi gè zhǒng má fan shì gǎo dé jiāo tóu làn é.
    He's in a terrible fix because of all kinds of troubles.
  • ，焦头烂额。
    Gōng sī cái wù chū le wèn tí, lǎo bǎn jí dé jiāo tóu làn é.
    The company's finances have gone wrong, and the boss is frantic.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

焦头scorched head
焦jiāoscorched头tóuhead
偏正Modifier + head
烂额burnt forehead
烂lànburnt/rotten额éforehead
偏正Modifier + head

焦头 “scorched head” and 烂额 “burnt forehead” are paired to picture being badly burned out, hence “in a terrible fix”.

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
隹隹zhuībird
Sound part声符shēngfú
小
小xiǎo焦jiāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 焦 glyph first paired 隹 (bird) with 小 as a sound part. The 小 part later changed into a fire shape, and the character was then used for scorching.

Open 焦 →

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 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →

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 爛; 烂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
闌
闌lán爛làn
Same sound today

The form 爛 pairs 火 (fire) with 闌 as the sound part; this explains 爛, not the simplified 烂.

Open 烂 →

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 額; 额 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
客
客kè額é
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 額 combines 頁 (head), which points to the meaning, with 客, which gives the sound. The simplified 额 is a later abbreviation.

Open 额 →
Appears in
Emotions & FeelingsIdioms & Set Phrases

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