纷扰 (fēn rǎo) — confusion; turmoil; disturbance

Definition

纷扰 (fēnrǎo) names an ongoing state of disturbance and confusion — the noise, hassles, and distractions that disrupt one's life or mind. Stronger and more literary than everyday 麻烦, and emphasizes persistent turmoil rather than a single problem.

noun
confusionturmoildisturbance

Examples

  • 纷扰。
    Chéng shì de fēn rǎo ràng tā gǎn dào hěn bù xí guàn.
    The turmoil of the city made him feel very unaccustomed.
  • 纷扰。
    Gōng zuò shàng de fēn rǎo ràng tā de xīn qíng biàn de hěn luàn.
    The confusion at work made his mood very unsettled.
  • 纷扰，。
    Wèi le bǎi tuō zhè xiē fēn rǎo, tā bān dào le xiāng xia zhù.
    To get away from all this turmoil, he moved to the countryside.

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.

纷fēndisorder
扰rǎodisturbance

'纷' suggests disorder and '扰' suggests disturbance, together giving confusion or turmoil.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 紛; 纷 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
分
分fēn紛fēn
Same sound today

The form 紛 is built from 糸, a meaning part, and 分, a sound part.

Open 纷 →

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 擾; 扰 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
夒
夒náo擾rǎo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 擾 combines 手 (hand) with 夒, a sound part; the simplified 扰 is a later shorthand, so its visible pieces are not the historical parts.

Open 扰 →

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