Definitions

luàn (adjective) chaos; disorder; confused; disorderly
luàn (verb) to throw into disorder; to disrupt; to mess up
luàn (adjective) random; arbitrary; indiscriminate
luàn (noun) upheaval; riot

Etymology

Simplified form of . Depicts two hands (, ) organizing tangled threads.

About

The character 乱, denoting chaos or disorder, originated from the traditional form 亂, which structurally incorporates elements alluding to manual manipulation and entangled strands, reflecting an etymological basis in the concept of sorting or disturbing arrangements. Over time, its meaning transitioned from the active sense of causing disorder to primarily describing a state of confusion or turmoil. The simplified version 乱 emerged from centuries of cursive script adaptations, condensing the form while maintaining its fundamental association with disarray.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我的房间很

Wǒ de fángjiān hěn luàn.

My room is messy.

不要扔垃圾。

Bù yào luàn rēng lājī.

Don't litter.

孩子们在教室里跑。

Háizimen zài jiàoshì lǐ luàn pǎo.

The children are running around disorderly in the classroom.

他的思路很

Tā de sīlù hěn luàn.

His train of thought is messy.

战争导致社会混

Zhànzhēng dǎozhì shèhuì hùnluàn.

War leads to social chaos.

她的思绪很,无法集中精神。

Tā de sīxù hěn luàn, wúfǎ jízhōng jīngshén.

Her thoughts are messy, and she can't concentrate.

市场秩序混,急需整顿。

Shìchǎng zhìxù hùnluàn, jíxū zhěngdùn.

The market order is chaotic and urgently needs restructuring.

在信息爆炸的时代,我们容易陷入思维混

Zài xìnxī bàozhà de shídài, wǒmen róngyì xiànrù sīwéi hùnluàn.

In the age of information explosion, we easily fall into cognitive chaos.