adjective HSK 5
Traditional 凌亂
líng luàn
messy · in disorder · untidy · chaotic

Meaning

凌乱 describes a state of physical disorder or mental confusion. It commonly refers to things being scattered, disorganized, or not in their proper place. The word can apply to physical spaces like rooms, hair, or clothing, as well as to abstract concepts like thoughts or emotions.

Usage

This is a standard written and spoken term. It's often used to describe unmade beds, cluttered desks, disheveled hair, or confused thoughts. Common in everyday conversation when commenting on someone's appearance or the state of a room. Slightly more literary than the colloquial 乱 (luàn) alone, but still widely used.

Examples

  1. 01
    他的书桌上堆满了书,看起来非常凌乱
    de shū zhuō shàng duī mǎn le shū, kàn lái fēi cháng líng luàn.
    His desk is piled with books and looks very messy.
  2. 02
    经历了那么多事情后,她的思绪有些凌乱
    Jīng le me duō shì qíng hòu, de yǒu xiē líng luàn.
    After experiencing so many things, her thoughts were somewhat confused.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 头发凌乱
    tóu fa líng luàn
    messy hair
  • 房间凌乱
    fáng jiān líng luàn
    messy room
  • 思绪凌乱
    líng luàn
    confused thoughts
  • 凌乱不堪
    líng luàn kān
    extremely messy

Antonyms

Origin

凌 originally meant 'to rise above' or 'to tower over,' suggesting things piled in disorder. Combined with 乱 (disorder), it emphasizes a scattered, chaotic state.

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