Definitions

fán (verb) to feel troubled; to be annoyed; to be vexed
fán (adjective) troublesome; bothersome
fán (verb) to bother; to trouble

Etymology

Depicts fire () in the head (), i.e. a headache. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "烦" originates from a vivid conceptual composition, combining the semantic component for fire, 火, with the component 頁, which represents a head. This traditional form, "煩", visually suggests a state of overheating or feverish distress affecting the mind, initially conveying meanings related to physical heat, headache, and burning agitation. Over time, the application of this term shifted decisively from the physical to the psychological, emphasizing mental agitation, vexation, and annoyance. This semantic expansion allowed the character to describe not only an internal state of bother but also an external source of that feeling, such as a bothersome matter or a tedious task, thereby encapsulating both the feeling of being troubled and the act of troubling others within its single concise form.

Etymology Hide

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 Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

请你别来我。

Qǐng nǐ bié lái fán wǒ。

Please don't come and bother me。

他很人。

Tā hěn fán rén。

He is very annoying。

这工作很琐。

Zhè gōngzuò hěn fánsuǒ。

This work is very tedious and complicated。

请你帮个忙。

Wǒ fán qǐng nǐ bāng gè máng。

I would trouble you to do me a favor。

最近有很多心事。

Zuìjìn yǒu hěnduō fánxīn shì。

There have been a lot of bothersome things recently。

解决这个人的问题花了很长时间。

Jiějué zhège fánrén de wèntí huāle hěn cháng shíjiān。

Solving this annoying problem took a long time。

他总为一些琐事心。

Tā zǒng wèi yīxiē suǒshì fánxīn。

He is always worried and annoyed by trivial matters。

别让过去的恼影响现在的你。

Bié ràng guòqù de fánnǎo yǐngxiǎng xiànzài de nǐ。

Don't let past troubles affect the present you。