Chinese word

熙熙攘攘

Pronunciation

Pinyinxī xī rǎng rǎng

Meaning

  • adjectivebustling

Example

熙熙攘攘的市场让人很开心。xī xī ráng rǎng de shì chǎng ràng rén hěn kāi xīn

The bustling market makes people happy.

Illustration for 熙熙攘攘 (bustling)

More examples

春节前夕，车站熙熙攘攘，旅客提着行李匆匆走过。chūn jié qián xī chē zhàn xī xī ráng rǎng lǚ kè tí zhe xíng lǐ cōng cōng zǒu guò

On the eve of the Spring Festival, the station was bustling, and travelers hurried by carrying their luggage.

Core concept

A lively human scene where voices, movement, and bodies fill the available space.

Common phrases

  • 熙熙攘攘的火车站xī xī ráng rǎng de huǒ chē zhàn

    bustling train station

  • 熙熙攘攘的广场xī xī ráng rǎng de guáng chǎng

    bustling square

Similar words

热闹rè nào: Describes an active, cheerful atmosphere created by many people and activities.
拥挤yōng jǐ: Describes dense crowding that leaves little room for movement.
喧闹xuān nào: Describes a noisy atmosphere that makes a place feel restless.
繁华fán huá: Describes a flourishing commercial area with busy streets and thriving businesses.

Definition in Chinese

形容人很多、热闹并且拥挤的样子。xíng róng rén hěn duō rè nào bìng qiě yōng jǐ de yàng zi

Word origin

熙 (xī, "flourishing and cheerful") is repeated to suggest abundant activity, while 攘 (rǎng, "to jostle") is repeated to suggest people moving closely together.

Usage tips

  • The word describes atmosphere as well as density, so a place can be called this when it feels energetic even though moving through it is difficult.

Other meanings

  • livelyadjective
  • crowdedadjective

Opposites

  • 冷清lěng qīngdesertedadjective
  • 门可罗雀mén kě luó quènearly emptyadjective

Word lists with this word