A2 Expression خنثی

很忙。

hen mang.

Very busy.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use {很|hěn}{忙|máng} to tell people you have a lot on your plate and cannot currently take on more tasks.

  • Means: To be very busy or occupied with many tasks.
  • Used in: Declining invitations, explaining work delays, or describing a hectic schedule.
  • Don't confuse: {很|hěn}{忙|máng} (very busy) with {忙|máng}{着|zhe} (currently doing something).
Clock face + Pile of papers + 'No' hand sign = {很|hěn}{忙|máng}

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means you have many things to do. You use it when you cannot talk or play.
Use {很|hěn}{忙|máng} to describe a full schedule. It is a common way to explain why you are unavailable for social activities or work tasks.
This expression is a staple of daily Chinese. It functions as a predicate adjective. It is versatile, allowing for intensity modifiers like {特|tè}{别|bié} or {非|fēi}{常|cháng} to convey the degree of your workload.
Beyond its literal meaning, {很|hěn}{忙|máng} serves as a social buffer. It allows speakers to decline requests while maintaining face. In professional settings, it is often paired with temporal markers to provide context for delays.
Linguistically, {很|hěn}{忙|máng} exemplifies the stative verb nature of Chinese adjectives. It reflects the cultural emphasis on industriousness. Its usage requires pragmatic awareness to distinguish between a genuine statement of fact and a polite social excuse.
The phrase encapsulates the intersection of cognitive load and social etiquette. By utilizing the 'heart-lost' etymology, one can appreciate the depth of the term. It functions as a primary tool for managing interpersonal boundaries in a high-context society.

معنی

Indicating a high level of busyness.

🌍

زمینه فرهنگی

Being busy is often a badge of honor in corporate culture. People often use '忙' to describe a hectic lifestyle, similar to the mainland. The pace is extremely fast; 'busy' is the default state. Used in the same way, often in a mix of English and Chinese.

💡

Tone matters

Ensure you hit the rising tone on {忙|máng} so it doesn't sound like 'blind' ({盲|máng}).

معنی

Indicating a high level of busyness.

💡

Tone matters

Ensure you hit the rising tone on {忙|máng} so it doesn't sound like 'blind' ({盲|máng}).

خودت رو بسنج

Fill in the blank with the correct phrase.

{我|wǒ} ____，{没|méi}{有|yǒu}{空|kòng}。

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: {很|hěn}{忙|máng}

The context 'no time' implies being busy.

🎉 امتیاز: /1

سوالات متداول

1 سوال

Yes, but add a polite follow-up.

عبارات مرتبط

🔄

{忙|máng}{死|sǐ}{了|le}

synonym

Busy to death

🔗

{没|méi}{有|yǒu}{空|kòng}

similar

Have no free time

کجا استفاده کنیم

🍽️

Declining a dinner invite

Friend: Want to eat?

You: {不|bù}{好|hǎo}{意|yì}{思|si}，{我|wǒ}{今|jīn}{天|tiān}{很|hěn}{忙|máng}。

neutral
💼

Work update

Boss: Is the report done?

You: {我|wǒ}{现|xiàn}{在|zài}{很|hěn}{忙|máng}，{下|xià}{午|wǔ}{给|gěi}{你|nǐ}。

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a person with a heart ({忄}) losing ({亡}) their mind because they have too much work.

Visual Association

A person juggling 10 clocks while running on a treadmill.

Rhyme

Busy as a bee, {很|hěn}{忙|máng} for me.

Story

Xiao Wang has a big project. His phone rings. He looks at it and sighs. He texts back: '{我|wǒ}{很|hěn}{忙|máng}.' He puts the phone down and keeps working.

Word Web

{忙|máng}{碌|lù}{空|kòng}{时|shí}{间|jiān}{工|gōng}{作|zuò}{累|lèi}{没|méi}{有|yǒu}

چالش

For one day, whenever someone asks you to do something, use '{我|wǒ}{很|hěn}{忙|máng}' followed by a polite alternative.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Estoy muy ocupado

Spanish uses a verb for 'to be,' while Chinese does not.

French high

Je suis très occupé

French requires grammatical agreement (masculine/feminine).

German high

Ich bin sehr beschäftigt

German word order changes if you add time markers.

Japanese high

とても忙しいです (Totemo isogashii desu)

Japanese requires a polite copula 'desu' at the end.

Arabic moderate

أنا مشغول جداً (Ana mashghul jiddan)

Arabic distinguishes gender (masculine/feminine).

Chinese n/a

{很|hěn}{忙|máng}

None.

Korean high

너무 바빠요 (Neomu bappayo)

Korean uses honorific endings.

Portuguese high

Estou muito ocupado

Portuguese uses 'estar' vs 'ser'.

Easily Confused

很忙。 در مقابل {忙|máng}{着|zhe}

Learners think it means 'very busy'.

{忙|máng}{着|zhe} means 'currently in the middle of doing something'.

سوالات متداول (1)

Yes, but add a polite follow-up.

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