自找麻烦 (zì zhǎo má fan) — to ask for trouble; to bring trouble upon oneself

Definition

A fixed verb phrase meaning to bring trouble on yourself by your own actions. Used to criticize someone for knowingly creating their own problems — stronger and more idiomatic than simply saying 'cause trouble'.

verb
to ask for troubleto bring trouble upon oneself

Examples

  • ，自找麻烦。
    Nǐ zuì hǎo bié guǎn nà jiàn shì, fǒu zé nǐ huì zì zhǎo má fan de.
    You'd better not get involved in that matter, or you'll be asking for trouble.
  • ，自找麻烦？
    Tā míng zhī dào zhè yàng zuò bú duì hái yào qù zuò, zhè bú shì zì zhǎo má fan ma?
    He knew it was wrong but still did it — isn't that asking for trouble?
  • 。
    Tā zhè yàng zuò shì zì zhǎo le yì duī má fan.
    He brought a heap of trouble on himself by doing that.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

自找seek by oneself
自zìoneself找zhǎoseek
偏正Modifier + head
麻烦trouble
麻mábother烦fánannoy
联合Side by side

自找 conveys seeking by oneself, and 麻烦 denotes trouble.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

自 originally drew a nose. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write 自, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

Open 自 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
戈
戈gē找zhǎo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

找 pairs 扌 (hand) with 戈 as a sound part. The idea that it shows a hand looking for a halberd is only a memory trick.

Open 找 →

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

麻 combines 厂 and 𣏟 to represent hemp leaves.

Open 麻 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 煩; 烦 is its simplified writing.

In the traditional form 煩, the shape is made from 火 (fire) and 頁 (head).

Open 烦 →
Appears in
Safety & Danger

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