Chinese word

奔波

Pronunciation

Pinyinbēn bō

Meaning

  • verbrun around

Example

他为了生意到处奔波。tā wèi le shēng yì dào chù bēn bō

He runs around everywhere for business.

Illustration for 奔波 (run around)

More examples

为了孩子的教育，她经常在学校和补习班之间奔波。wèi le hái zi de jiào yù tā jīng cháng zài xué xiào hé bǔ xí bān zhī jiān bēn bō

For her child's education, she often runs back and forth between school and cram school.

Core concept

Repeated movement between places for a practical purpose, with the effort of never quite settling down.

Common phrases

  • 到处奔波dào chù bēn bō

    run around all over the place

  • 为家庭奔波wèi jiā tíng bēn bō

    work hard for one's family

  • 在...之间奔波zài zhī jiān bēn bō

    go back and forth between ___

Similar words

奔走bēn zǒu: Travel around to make contacts, arrange things, or get practical work done for a goal.
跑来跑去pǎo lái pǎo qù: Move from one place to another and back again, emphasizing constant coming and going.
到处跑dào chù pǎo: Travel around many places, with a straightforward and casual sense of going here and there.
跑腿páo tuǐ: Take care of shopping or other errands by going out for another person.

Definition in Chinese

为处理事务或谋生到处奔走，强调频繁移动和劳累感。wèi chú lǐ shì wù huò móu shēng dào chù bēn zǒu qiáng diào pín fán yí dòng hé láo lèi gǎn

Word origin

奔波 (bēnbō, "run around") combines 奔 (bēn, "run") + 波 (bō, "wave") to evoke movement that keeps surging from place to place.

Usage tips

  • The word often describes work-related travel with a clear purpose, rather than ordinary movement from one place to another.

Other meanings

  • work hardverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 奔波劳碌bēn bō láo lùtoil tirelesslyidiom
  • 奔波者bēn bō zhěperson who runs aroundnoun

Word lists with this word