Definitions

(adjective) busy; occupied; laborious
liù (noun) stone roller (farming tool)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "碌" is structured with the stone radical on the left and the phonetic component "录" on the right, indicating its early association with stone objects, specifically millstones used for grinding grain. Its original meanings were tied to the physical actions of rolling or grinding, derived directly from the function of these tools. Over time, the semantic scope of "碌" expanded to describe involvement in tedious or repetitive labor, much like the incessant turning of a millstone, which then evolved to convey notions of being busy with mundane tasks. This progression led to its modern applications in expressing busyness, as in the compound "忙碌", or mediocrity, as in "碌碌无为", reflecting a shift from a concrete reference to stone implements to abstract concepts of routine and unremarkable activity.

Example Sentences Hide

他每天都很忙

Tā měi tiān dōu hěn máng lù.

He is busy every day.

妈妈忙地准备晚餐。

Māma máng lù de zhǔnbèi wǎncān.

Mom is busily preparing dinner.

哥哥工作忙,很少回家。

Gēge gōngzuò máng lù, hěn shǎo huí jiā.

Older brother is busy with work and rarely goes home.

我们不能庸地度过一生。

Wǒmen bù néng yōng lù de dùguò yīshēng.

We cannot spend our lives in mediocrity.

他劳了大半辈子,终于可以休息了。

Tā láo lù le dà bàn bèizi, zhōngyú kěyǐ xiūxi le.

He has toiled for most of his life and can finally rest.

尽管生活忙,她依然保持乐观。

Jǐnguǎn shēnghuó máng lù, tā yīrán bǎochí lèguān.

Although life is busy, she still remains optimistic.

之人往往缺乏远大的目标。

Yōng lù zhī rén wǎngwǎng quēfá yuǎndà de mùbiāo.

Mediocre people often lack ambitious goals.

在忙的都市生活中,找到平衡很重要。

Zài máng lù de dūshì shēnghuó zhōng, zhǎodào pínghéng hěn zhòngyào.

In the busy urban life, finding balance is important.