混 hùn muddy
muddy; confused; to mix; to blend; muddled
How to remember 混: 氵 water + 昆 elder brother = muddy. The pond water turns brown when my elder brother jumps in, and the little fish swim around all muddy.
Component breakdown
混 = 氵 water + 昆 elder brother
- 氵 water
- 昆 elder brother
The pond water turns brown when my elder brother jumps in, and the little fish swim around all muddy.
How it is used
- To mix/blend, and (of a state) confused/chaotic - 混合 (hùnhé) to mix, 混乱 (hùnluàn) chaos/disorder.
- 混淆 (hùnxiáo) = to confuse/blur (things that should be distinct): 混淆是非 to blur right and wrong.
- Colloquial 混 (hùn) = to drift/get by aimlessly: 混日子 (hùn rìzi) to muddle through life, 混饭吃 to scrape a living.
- Second reading hún: 混蛋 (húndàn) bastard/scoundrel, 混浊 turbid.