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麻烦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
麻烦máfaninconvenientHSK 4, an, 21 strokes, rank #455, Medium
麻烦máfantroublesomeHSK 4, an, 21 strokes, rank #455, Medium
麻烦máfanannoyingHSK 4, an, 21 strokes, rank #455, Medium
麻烦máfanto trouble or bother sbHSK 4, an, 21 strokes, rank #455, Medium
麻烦máfanto put sb to troubleHSK 4, an, 21 strokes, rank #455, Medium
máfan(ma2fan5)ma fan T2
  1. 1inconvenient
  2. 2troublesome
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March 24, 2026

麻烦(麻煩)máfan(ma2fan5)

麻烦 (má fan) refers to something that is inconvenient or troublesome. It can describe situations that cause annoyance or the act of bothering someone, often used in both personal and professional contexts to express the burden of a task or request.

Strokes21Frequency#455DifficultyMedium
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, being polite and avoiding trouble for others is highly valued. Saying 麻烦 can reflect a sense of responsibility when asking for help or when acknowledging the inconvenience one might cause.

Memory tip

Imagine a person tangled in a ball of yarn (麻) that represents confusion, and a fan (烦) blowing it around, making the situation more chaotic. This visual connects the character's form to its meaning of causing trouble or inconvenience.

Meanings of 麻烦

máfan(ma2fan5)
1inconvenient
2troublesome
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 麻烦

麻烦Simplified
麻煩Traditional
21Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#455Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 麻烦

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Podcast: 麻烦

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AI study notes for 麻烦

Quick Contrast

麻烦 (máfan) vs 困难 (kùnnán) — use 麻烦 for minor inconveniences or annoyances, while 困难 refers to more serious difficulties or challenges.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone; it can come across as too direct or informal in certain contexts. Common collocations include 麻烦你 (to trouble you) and 麻烦了 (it's been troublesome). Avoid using it in excessively formal situations.

HSK Study Tips

At HSK Level 4, 麻烦 connects well with other words relating to emotions and communication. Students should focus on using it in polite requests and understanding its nuances in different contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 麻烦 with 不好 (not good), using it incorrectly in phrases like '这件事不好' instead of '这件事麻烦'. Remember, 麻烦 specifically addresses inconvenience.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 麻烦

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Component characters

麻máhemp
HSK 711 strokes麻
View full entry
烦fánto feel vexed
HSK 410 strokes火
View full entry

How to say inconvenient in Chinese

“inconvenient” in Chinese is麻烦máfan

麻烦 (má fan) refers to something that is inconvenient or troublesome. It can describe situations that cause annoyance or the act of bothering someone, often used in both personal and professional contexts to express the burden of a task or request.

When to use 麻烦

Be cautious with the tone; it can come across as too direct or informal in certain contexts. Common collocations include 麻烦你 (to trouble you) and 麻烦了 (it's been troublesome). Avoid using it in excessively formal situations.

麻烦 or something close to it

麻烦 (máfan) vs 困难 (kùnnán) — use 麻烦 for minor inconveniences or annoyances, while 困难 refers to more serious difficulties or challenges.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 麻烦 with 不好 (not good), using it incorrectly in phrases like '这件事不好' instead of '这件事麻烦'. Remember, 麻烦 specifically addresses inconvenience.

Write 麻烦

麻
烦

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

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Grammar patterns of 麻烦

麻烦 carries 5 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

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____了。

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

Example sentences for 麻烦 (10)

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1
“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.
2
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.
3
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.
4
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.
5
麻烦你把这个包裹交给米勒先生好 吗 ?

máfan nǐ bǎ zhège bāoguǒ jiāogěi mǐ lè xiānsheng hǎo ma?

Could I bother you to give the package to Mr. Miller?
6
我意识到英国人如果对爱尔兰问题加以泛化的话会招惹麻烦。

wǒ yìshí dào Yīng guó rén rúguǒ duì ài ěr lán wèntí jiāyǐ fàn huà dehuà huì zhāo rě máfan。

I realise that an Englishman who generalises about Ireland invites trouble.
7
你特立独行的行事方式可能会给自己惹来麻烦。

nǐ tè lì dú xíng de xíng shì fāngshì kěnéng huì gěi zìjǐ rě lái máfan。

Your non-conformist ways will probably get you into trouble.
8
让守法的人持有枪械并不会惹麻烦。

ràng shǒu fǎ de rén chíyǒu qiāng xiè bìng bù huì rě máfan。

Gun ownership by law-abiding people was not a problem.
9
虽然我有时会觉得这是在找麻烦，但是通常并不会这样。

suīrán wǒ yǒushí huì juéde zhè shì zài zhǎo máfan， dànshì tōngcháng bìng bù huì zhèyàng。

Although sometimes I feel like bothering, as often as not I don't.
10
这只会在以后给我带来更多麻烦。

zhè zhī huì zài yǐhòu gěi wǒ dàilái gèng duō máfan。

This is only going to cause me more problems later on.

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Frequently asked questions about 麻烦

Yes, it's common to say 麻烦你 to politely ask someone for help.

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