Chinese word

晃荡

Pronunciation

Pinyinhuàng dàng

Meaning

  • verbhang around

Example

放学后，他就喜欢在公园晃荡。fàng xué hòu tā jiù xǐ huān zài gōng yuán huàng dàng

After school, he likes hanging around in the park.

Illustration for 晃荡 (hang around)

More examples

他在街头晃荡，似乎在等谁。tā zài jiē tóu huàng dàng sì hū zài děng shuí

He is wandering around on the street, seemingly waiting for someone.

Core concept

Move around without a clear destination, with time to spare and little to do.

Common phrases

  • 街头晃荡jiē tóu huàng dàng

    wander around on the street

  • 无目的地晃荡wú mù dì dì huàng dàng

    roam around aimlessly

  • 一个人晃荡yí gè rén huàng dàng

    wander around alone

Similar words

闲逛xián guàng: Walk around for pleasure without a set purpose, taking in what is nearby.
游荡yóu dàng: Wander about aimlessly, drifting from one place to another.

Definition in Chinese

口语中表示人在某处漫无目的地来回走动或四处逛荡的词，带有闲散和无所事事的含义。kóu yǔ zhōng biǎo shì rén zài mǒu chù màn wú mù dì dì lái huí zǒu dòng huò sì chù guàng dàng de cí dài yǒu xián sàn hé wú suǒ shì shì de hán yì

Word origin

晃 (huàng, "to sway") + 荡 (dàng, "to drift") combine into an image of loose, aimless movement, giving the compound its sense of wandering about.

Usage tips

  • This colloquial verb can sound mildly critical when it describes a person, suggesting idleness rather than a useful purpose.

Other meanings

  • wander aroundverb
  • roam aroundverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word