乱 luàn chaotic
chaotic; disorder
How to remember 乱: 舌 tongue + 乚 hook = chaotic. The toddler sticks out his tongue, pulls every coat off the hook by the door, and the hallway becomes totally chaotic.
Component breakdown
形声 · Meaning + sound
originally 𤔔 + 乙
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
乱 = 舌 tongue + 乚 hook
- 舌 tongue shape only
- 乚 hook meaning
The toddler sticks out his tongue, pulls every coat off the hook by the door, and the hallway becomes totally chaotic.
How it came to be
In the full form, the left part shows someone combing tangled threads; it gives the sound and the sense of disorder.
How it is used
- Disordered / chaotic, and 'recklessly': 房间很乱 (fángjiān hěn luàn) the room is a mess, 混乱 (hùnluàn) chaos.
- As an adverb 'carelessly/without rule': 别乱说 (bié luàn shuō) don't talk nonsense, 乱花钱 spend money recklessly.
- 乱七八糟 (luànqībāzāo) 'in a total mess': a very common colloquial phrase.
Words with 乱
- 混乱hùnluànconfusedHSK 6
- 忙乱mángluànrushed and muddledHSK 7
- 扰乱rǎoluànto disturbHSK 7
- 杂乱无章záluàn-wúzhāngdisordered and in a mess (idiom)HSK 7
- 乱七八糟luànqībāzāochaoticHSK 8
- 慌乱huāngluànfreneticHSK 8
- 捣乱dǎoluànto disturbHSK 8
- 紊乱wěnluàndisorderHSK 9
- 胡乱húluàncarelessHSK 9
- 胡思乱想húsī-luànxiǎngto indulge in flights of fancy (idiom)HSK 9
- 骚乱sāoluàndisturbanceHSK 9
Example sentences
- 他的房间很乱。 Tāde fángjiān hěn luàn.His room is a mess.