繁 fán complex
complex; difficult
How to remember 繁: 敏 fast + 糸 thread = complex. Grandma knits fast, but when the kitten tangles every thread in the basket, the pattern suddenly becomes complex.
Component breakdown
繁 = 敏 fast + 糸 thread
- 敏 fast
- 糸 thread
Grandma knits fast, but when the kitten tangles every thread in the basket, the pattern suddenly becomes complex.
How it is used
- Bound morpheme meaning "complex, numerous" - written/formal register overall.
- 繁忙 (fánmáng) "busy" is a more formal synonym of 忙, typically describing a busy season, schedule, or thoroughfare rather than a person's mood.
- 繁荣 (fánróng) "prosperous, flourishing" is standard for describing a thriving economy or city; 频繁 (pínfán) "frequent" describes how often something happens (联系频繁 "contact frequently").
- 繁体字 (fántǐzì) "traditional (unsimplified) Chinese characters" - a very useful compound for learners, contrasted with 简体字 (jiǎntǐzì) "simplified characters".