Meanings of 邋
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About 邋
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Podcast: 邋
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AI Study Notes for 邋
邋 (lā) vs 脏 (zāng) — use 邋 for a focus on untidiness or carelessness, while 脏 emphasizes dirtiness or uncleanliness.
邋 is often used in informal contexts to describe someone's appearance or attitude. Be careful not to use it in formal situations, as it may come off as disrespectful. Common collocations include 邋遢, which directly translates to 'sloppy' and is frequently used in everyday conversation.
While 邋 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be useful for learners to recognize its meaning in context. Focus on the compound word 邋遢 to understand its usage better, as it combines the character's essence with a more common expression.
Learners often confuse 邋 with similar sounding characters like 拉 (lā, to pull). For example, saying '我今天穿得很拉' (wǒ jīntiān chuān dé hěn lā) to mean 'I am dressed very sloppy' is incorrect; the correct usage would be '我今天穿得很邋.'
Pronunciation of 邋
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Etymology of 邋
walk
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 邋
- 1The meaning half辶 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half巤 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaywalk
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 邋? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 邋
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How to say sloppy; rags in Chinese
“sloppy; rags” in Chinese is邋
The character 邋 (lā) primarily means 'sloppy' or 'ragged.' It is often used in the context of describing untidy appearances or behaviors, particularly in the compound word 邋遢, which emphasizes a messy or careless demeanor. This character conveys a sense of neglect in personal grooming or organization.
When to use 邋
邋 is often used in informal contexts to describe someone's appearance or attitude. Be careful not to use it in formal situations, as it may come off as disrespectful. Common collocations include 邋遢, which directly translates to 'sloppy' and is frequently used in everyday conversation.
邋 or something close to it
邋 (lā) vs 脏 (zāng) — use 邋 for a focus on untidiness or carelessness, while 脏 emphasizes dirtiness or uncleanliness.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 邋 with similar sounding characters like 拉 (lā, to pull). For example, saying '我今天穿得很拉' (wǒ jīntiān chuān dé hěn lā) to mean 'I am dressed very sloppy' is incorrect; the correct usage would be '我今天穿得很邋.'
Write 邋
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Practice writing 邋 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 邋
邋 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Complete the Sentence
瞧你那____遢样儿，出门前也不照照镜子。
Look at how sloppy you are — you did not even check the mirror before going out.
Example Sentences for 邋 (5)
Cultural Notes for 邋
In Western cultures, being 'sloppy' might be seen as a casual choice or personal freedom, while in Chinese culture, it often reflects a lack of diligence or respect for oneself and others.
Word Family of 邋
Compound Meaning
What does 邋遢 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 邋
邋遢 means 'sloppy' or 'messy,' describing a disorganized appearance.
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