狂轰滥炸 (kuáng hōng làn zhà) — to bomb indiscriminately; to launch a heavy bombing attack; to bombard (with questions, criticism, phone calls, etc.)

Definition

Originally a military term for indiscriminate bombing; widely used as a vivid metaphor for being overwhelmed by a barrage of questions, messages, or criticism.

idiom
to bomb indiscriminatelyto launch a heavy bombing attackto bombard (with questions, criticism, phone calls, etc.)

Examples

  • ，狂轰滥炸。
    Zhàn zhēng qī jiān, zhè zuò chéng shì zāo dào le kuáng hōng làn zhà.
    During the war, this city suffered indiscriminate bombing.
  • 狂轰滥炸。
    Jì zhě men duì fā yán rén jìn xíng le kuáng hōng làn zhà shì de tí wèn.
    The reporters bombarded the spokesperson with a barrage of questions.
  • 狂轰滥炸。
    Tā de shǒu jī bèi péng you de duǎn xìn kuáng hōng làn zhà le yì zhěng tiān.
    His phone was bombarded with text messages from friends all day long.

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.

狂轰wild bombing
狂kuángwild轰hōngbomb
偏正Modifier + head
滥炸indiscriminate bombing
滥lànindiscriminate炸zhàbomb
偏正Modifier + head

“狂轰” means wild bombing and “滥炸” means indiscriminate bombing, together describing heavy bombardment.

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
犭Written in full as犬quǎndog
Sound part声符shēngfú
㞷
㞷㞷狂kuáng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

狂 pairs 犭 (dog) with 㞷, which gives the sound; 㞷 is an old form of a character meaning 'to go'.

Open 狂 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 轟; 轰 is its simplified writing.

  • 車車jūcart
  • 車車jūcart
  • 車車jūcart

The traditional form 轟 puts three 車 (cart) together; 轰 is a simplified shorthand.

Open 轰 →

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 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 炸 →

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