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烦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
烦fánto feel vexedHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 火, rank #1519, Medium
烦fánto botherHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 火, rank #1519, Medium
烦fánto troubleHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 火, rank #1519, Medium
烦fánsuperfluous and confusingHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 火, rank #1519, Medium
烦fánedgyHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 火, rank #1519, Medium
烦fánto bother, to trouble, to vexHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 火, rank #1519, Medium
fán(fan2)fan T2
  1. 1to feel vexed
  2. 2to bother
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March 24, 2026

烦(煩)fán(fan2)

The character 烦 (fán) means to feel vexed or troubled, typically due to something that is bothersome or annoying. It is commonly used in contexts where someone expresses irritation or frustration, whether from a situation or another person. The nuance suggests a level of emotional disturbance that is often persistent or nagging.

Strokes10Radical火Frequency#1519DifficultyMedium
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, expressing feelings of vexation or annoyance is often done indirectly or with humor, reflecting a cultural preference for maintaining harmony. The word 烦 may come up in conversations about work stress or social obligations.

Memory tip

Imagine a pot of boiling water (the radical 火 means fire) that is too full, causing it to overflow and make a mess. This overflowing water symbolizes the feeling of being troubled or vexed by too many worries, connecting the character's form and meaning. The sound 'fán' can remind you of 'fan' which sounds similar to 'vex' when you are a fan of something but it troubles you.

Meanings of 烦

fán(fan2)
1to feel vexed
2to bother
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 烦 means.

About 烦

烦Simplified
煩Traditional
10Strokes
火Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#1519Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 烦

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Podcast: 烦

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AI study notes for 烦

Quick Contrast

烦 (fán) vs 恼 (nǎo) — choose 烦 for a more general feeling of vexation, while 恼 emphasizes anger or irritation.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 烦 (fán) with similar-sounding words like 反 (fǎn), which means to reverse or oppose. It is typically used in informal contexts, and common collocations include 烦恼 (fánnǎo, vexation) and 烦人 (fán rén, annoying person). Be cautious with the tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning completely.

HSK Study Tips

While 烦 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list, it is relevant for learners at HSK 3 and above when discussing emotions or feelings. Students should focus on pronunciation and usage in context, particularly in phrases that indicate annoyance or frustration.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 烦 by placing it in overly formal contexts, like writing a business email, where it would be inappropriate. For example, saying '我对这个项目很烦' (wǒ duì zhège xiàngmù hěn fán) in formal settings would be awkward; instead, use more neutral expressions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 烦

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Etymology of 烦

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 页 represents the sound. Simplified form of 煩.

Memory hint

fire

Semantic (meaning)火
+
Phonetic (sound)页
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

烦 = 火 + 页. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 烦

IDS Structure⿰火页
烦Full character
=
火Huo3
left
页ye4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 烦?

How to say to feel vexed in Chinese

“to feel vexed” in Chinese is烦fán

The character 烦 (fán) means to feel vexed or troubled, typically due to something that is bothersome or annoying. It is commonly used in contexts where someone expresses irritation or frustration, whether from a situation or another person. The nuance suggests a level of emotional disturbance that is often persistent or nagging.

When to use 烦

Learners often confuse 烦 (fán) with similar-sounding words like 反 (fǎn), which means to reverse or oppose. It is typically used in informal contexts, and common collocations include 烦恼 (fánnǎo, vexation) and 烦人 (fán rén, annoying person). Be cautious with the tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning completely.

烦 or something close to it

烦 (fán) vs 恼 (nǎo) — choose 烦 for a more general feeling of vexation, while 恼 emphasizes anger or irritation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 烦 by placing it in overly formal contexts, like writing a business email, where it would be inappropriate. For example, saying '我对这个项目很烦' (wǒ duì zhège xiàngmù hěn fán) in formal settings would be awkward; instead, use more neutral expressions.

Write 烦

烦

Practice writing 烦 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 烦

烦 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

一定要把你们的护照带上，万一需要，没带就麻____了。

Make sure to bring your passports — in case you need them, it would be troublesome not to have them.

Common confusions with 烦

烦 and 恼 both indicate feelings of annoyance, but 烦 is more about being bothered while 恼 implies a stronger emotional reaction.

1

我很烦。 (I am very vexed.) vs. 我感到恼火。 (I feel furious.)

烦 and 恼 both indicate feelings of annoyance, but 烦 is more about being bothered while 恼 implies a stronger emotional reaction.

💡Remember that 烦 is like 'fawn' which is a milder annoyance compared to the stronger 'annoy' in 恼.

Usage Notes for 烦

Misuse in contextCommon Error

Learners often use 烦 when they mean to express annoyance in a lighter context, where a word like 恼 would be more appropriate.

1

我对这件事感到烦。

I feel vexed about this matter.

Exercise 1 of 1

Get it right

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

我对这件事感到____。

I feel vexed about this matter.

Example sentences for 烦 (11)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
vto feel vexed10
1
手上起的水泡让我心烦。

shǒu shàng qǐ de shuǐ pào ràng wǒ xīn fán。

I was bothered about the blister on my hand.
2
“我告诉过你普雷斯克毫不知情的，”肯普颇为不耐烦地说道。

“ wǒ gàosu guò nǐ pǔ léi Sī kè háobù zhī qíng de，” kěn pǔ Pō wèi búnàifán dì shuōdào。

"I told you Preskel had no idea," remarked Kemp with some asperity.
3
不要让工作中的一点烦心事打击了你的雄心抱负。

búyào ràng gōngzuò zhōng de yīdiǎn fán xīnshì dǎjī le nǐ de xióng xīn bàofù。

Don't allow a minor irritation in the workplace to mar your ambitions.
4
“利奥，我妈妈觉得我不应该再在这儿麻烦你了，”格雷丝说。

“ lì ào， wǒ māma juéde wǒ bù yīnggāi zài zài zhèr máfan nǐ le，” gé léi sī shuō。

"Mum thinks I should stop imposing on your hospitality, Leo," said Grace.
5
我可不是开玩笑,事情够麻烦的了.

wǒ kěbúshi kāiwánxiào, shìqing gòu máfan de le.

I'm serious, things are difficult enough as they are.
6
我不明白他为何用这种烂事来烦我。

wǒ bù míngbai tā wèihé yòng zhè zhǒng làn shì lái fán wǒ。

I don't know why he bothers me with this kind of rubbish.
7
无论在哪个领域，过分痴迷者都会跟他们的癖好一样令人厌烦。

wúlùn zài nǎge lǐngyù， guòfèn chīmí zhě dūhuì gēn tāmen de pǐ hǎo yíyàng lìng rén yànfán。

Obsessives, in any area, are invariably as boring as their hobbies.
8
无论出现什么样的麻烦，我们都会在貌似混乱的情形中保持平和的心态。

wúlùn chūxiàn shénmeyàng de máfan， wǒmen dūhuì zài mào shì hùnluàn de qíngxing zhōng bǎochí pínghé de xīntài。

Whatever troubles arise, we'll have peace of mind amidst seeming chaos.
9
有什么烦心事吗？我的意思是，除了这件事以外还有吗？

yǒu shénme fán xīnshì ma？ wǒ de yìsi shì， chúle zhè jiàn shì yǐwài háiyǒu ma？

Is something upsetting you—I mean, apart from this business?
10
人们说，如果我们再不积极行动起来，我们就会有麻烦。

rénmen shuō， rúguǒ wǒmen zài bù jījí xíngdòng qǐlái， wǒmen jiù huì yǒu máfan。

People are saying if we don't buck up we'll be in trouble.
vto bother1
11
对不起，打扰你了，希望没让你烦。

Duìbùqǐ, dǎrǎo nǐ le, xīwàng méi ràng nǐ fán.

Sorry for disturbing you, I hope I didn't bother you.

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Cultural Notes for 烦

💡Did you know?

In Chinese culture, feeling '烦' (vexed) is common due to high expectations in work and family life. It's important to find balance and relaxation methods to cope with these feelings.

Word Family of 烦

Words containing this character20
麻烦máfaninconvenient麻煩
烦fánto bother煩
烦恼fánnǎoto be worried煩惱
烦躁fánzàojittery煩躁
烦人fánrénto annoy煩人
心烦xīnfánto feel agitated心煩
惹麻烦rěmáfanto create difficulties惹麻煩
厌烦yànfánbored厭煩
不耐烦búnàifánimpatience不耐煩
找麻烦zhǎomáfanto look for trouble找麻煩
心烦意乱xīnfányìluànlit. heart distracted, thoughts in turmoil (idiom); distraught with anxiety心煩意亂
添麻烦tiānmáfanto inconvenience添麻煩
不厌其烦búyàn-qífánto take great pains不厭其煩
自找麻烦zìzhǎomáfanto ask for trouble自找麻煩
烦闷fánmènmoody煩悶
烦琐fánsuǒtedious煩瑣
烦扰fánrǎoto bother煩擾
自寻烦恼zìxúnfánnǎoto bring trouble on oneself (idiom)自尋煩惱
烦忧fányōuto worry煩憂
烦乱fánluànanxious煩亂
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 烦

What does 麻烦 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 烦

Some synonyms for 烦 (fán) include 烦恼 (fánnǎo), which means worry or distress, and 麻烦 (máfan), which means trouble or inconvenience. Both words convey a sense of annoyance or difficulty in various contexts.

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