Chinese word

折腾

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhē teng

Meaning

  • verbbother

Example

这件事总是折腾我，让我很烦。zhè jiàn shì zǒng shì zhē teng wǒ ràng wǒ hěn fán

This matter always bothers me and really annoys me.

Illustration for 折腾 (bother)

More examples

连续加班把身体折腾坏了。lián xù jiā bān bǎ shēn tǐ zhē teng huài le

Working overtime day after day wore out my body.

Core concept

A restless cycle that keeps someone busy, uncomfortable, or stuck redoing things.

Common phrases

  • 折腾身体zhē teng shēn tǐ

    wear out the body

  • 折腾情绪zhē teng qíng xù

    upset one's emotions

  • 折腾脑子zhē teng nǎo zi

    rack one's brains

Similar words

折磨zhé mó: Putting someone through prolonged physical or emotional suffering.
打扰dá rǎo: Disturbing someone's actions or peace and making them uncomfortable.
麻烦má fán: Giving someone extra trouble through difficult tasks or procedures.
困扰kùn rǎo: Troubling someone with a problem or situation that causes difficulty.

Definition in Chinese

使人感到烦恼或耗费精力，既可指别人使某人受苦，也可指自己反复折腾某事，浪费时间和力气。shǐ rén gǎn dào fán nǎo huò hào fèi jīng lì jì kě zhǐ bié rén shǐ mǒu rén shòu kǔ yě kě zhǐ zì jǐ fǎn fù zhē teng mǒu shì làng fèi shí jiān hé lì qì

Word origin

折腾 (zhēteng, "to fuss and wear out") is a colloquial lexicalized verb, not a transparent sum of its two characters, with a settled sense built around repeated, unsettled activity.

Usage tips

  • In complaints about daily life, the word can describe needless tinkering with a device or plan, so it often signals that extra effort has made the situation worse.

Other meanings

  • run someone raggedverb
  • make someone sufferverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word