慢

màn

忄 + 曼

HSK 2.0Level 2

HSK 3.0Level 2

Definitions

màn (adjective) slow

màn (adjective) gradual; unhurried

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 曼 represents the sound.

Semantic: 忄 Phonetic: 曼

About

慢 is a phono-semantic compound: 忄 (heart) on the left indicates the meaning relates to mental states or attitudes, while 曼 (màn) on the right supplies the sound. Originally, the character described a haughty, dismissive, or indifferent inner attitude, a lack of proper urgency or respect. This sense of a lax, unhurried mindset naturally shifted to physical slowness, giving the modern meaning of moving at a low speed, delaying, or taking a long time.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

请慢点走。

Qǐng màn diǎn zǒu.

Please walk a bit slower.

他说话速度很慢。

Tā shuōhuà sùdù hěn màn.

He speaks very slowly.

这辆火车比较慢。

Zhè liàng huǒchē bǐjiào màn.

This train is relatively slow.

我爷爷做事总是很慢。

Wǒ yéye zuòshì zǒng shì hěn màn.

My grandfather always does things very slowly.

别着急，慢慢来。

Bié zháojí, mànmàn lái.

Don't rush, take your time.

他是个慢性子的人。

Tā shì gè màn xìngzi de rén.

He is a person with a slow temperament.

我慢慢习惯了这里的生活。

Wǒ mànmàn xíguànle zhèlǐ de shēnghuó.

I gradually got used to the life here.

享受这种慢慢变化的过程吧。

Xiǎngshòu zhè zhǒng mànmàn biànhuà de guòchéng ba.

Enjoy this process of slow change.

Related Characters

Component: 忄

Component: 曼

慢