烂 làn overcooked
overcooked; overripe; rotten; soft; mushy; to rot
How to remember 烂: 火 fire + 兰 orchid = overcooked. Grandma leaves the pot on the fire while she waters her orchid, and the vegetables come out overcooked.
Component breakdown
烂 = 火 fire + 兰 orchid
- 火 fire
- 兰 orchid
Grandma leaves the pot on the fire while she waters her orchid, and the vegetables come out overcooked.
How it is used
- Rotten/overcooked/mushy - 烂苹果 (làn píngguǒ) a rotten apple, 煮烂 (zhǔlàn) to cook until soft.
- 腐烂 (fǔlàn) = to rot/decay; 破烂 (pòlàn) = worn-out/ragged.
- Colloquial 'lousy/crappy': 烂片 (làn piàn) a terrible movie, 烂摊子 a shambles/mess.
- But 灿烂 (cànlàn) = brilliant/splendid (光辉灿烂) - a totally positive fixed compound.