繁 (fán) — (bound form) numerous, complicated; (bound form) to multiply, to propagate

Definition

繁 (fán) is a bound form used only inside compounds like 繁忙 (busy), 繁华 (prosperous), and 繁殖 (reproduce) — never used alone.

bound form
numerouscomplicatedto multiplyto propagate
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè ge chéng shì hěn fán huá.
    This city is very prosperous.
  • 。
    Zuì jìn gōng zuò tè bié fán máng.
    Recently work is especially busy.
  • 。
    Zhè zhǒng dòng wù fán zhí dé hěn kuài.
    This kind of animal reproduces very quickly.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
敏
敏mǐn繁fán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

繁 pairs 敏, a sound part, with 糸, meaning silk.

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