Meaning of 纷纷
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- one after another
- in succession
- one by one
- continuously
- diverse
- in profusion
- numerous and confused
- pell-mell
How to use 纷纷
纷纷 usually goes right before a verb to show that many people or things do the same action one after another. It often describes groups reacting to something. Example: 大家纷纷表示同意。(Dàjiā fēnfēn biǎoshì tóngyì.) Everyone expressed agreement one after another.
纷 is made of 纟 (silk thread) and 分 (fēn, to divide), so picture threads splitting apart and scattering everywhere. Doubling it as 纷纷 gives you many things happening one after another, like falling threads or leaves.
Common mistake: Learners often use 纷纷 with a single subject, as in 他纷纷离开, but 纷纷 needs a plural subject like 大家 or 人们. It also differs from 不断 (búduàn), which can describe one person doing something continuously.
纷纷 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
纷 fēn · tangled · 7 strokes
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纷 fēn · tangled · 7 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 纷纷.
Questions about 纷纷
What does 纷纷 mean?
纷纷 (fēnfēn) means "one after another; in succession" and is used as a adverb.
How do you write 纷纷?
纷纷 is made of 2 characters: 纷 (7 strokes), 纷 (7 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 纷纷 an HSK word?
Yes. 纷纷 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 纷纷 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 纷纷 is written 紛紛.
What is the difference between 纷纷 and 陆续?
Both mean one after another. 陆续 (lùxù) stresses an orderly, gradual sequence, like guests arriving in turn. 纷纷 suggests many at once and a busier, more scattered feeling.
Can 纷纷 be used as an adjective?
Yes, in more literary Chinese it can describe something numerous and scattered, as in 大雪纷纷 (dàxuě fēnfēn), heavy snow falling everywhere. In everyday speech it is mostly used as an adverb before a verb.