Meaning
扰 means to disturb, interrupt, or cause trouble to someone or something. It carries the sense of unwanted interference or disruption to peace, order, or someone's activities. The character is commonly used in polite expressions and in describing various forms of disturbance.
Usage
扰 rarely appears alone in modern Mandarin; it's almost always part of compound words like 打扰 (to disturb), 骚扰 (to harass), or 干扰 (to interfere). In formal or polite contexts, Chinese speakers often use 打扰了 as an apologetic phrase meaning 'sorry to bother you.' The character conveys a negative connotation of unwelcome intrusion.
Examples
- 01不好意思打扰你了，我想问个问题。, .Sorry to disturb you, I'd like to ask a question.
- 02噪音严重干扰了我的工作。.The noise seriously interfered with my work.
Common collocations
- 打扰一下excuse me (lit. disturb for a moment)
- 不好意思打扰你sorry to bother you
- 受到干扰to be interfered with
- 骚扰电话harassing phone call
Origin
The traditional form 擾 contains the hand radical 扌, indicating an action performed by hand, combined with 憂 (worry/anxiety), suggesting the act of causing worry or disturbance through one's actions.