忙

máng

adjective HSK 1 #413

Meanings

忄(heart) + 亡 (to perish) — so busy your heart is dying

Nǐ zuìjìn máng ma?

Have you been busy recently?

Wǒ jīntiān hěn máng.

I am very busy today.

Tā měitiān máng gōngzuò.

He is busy with work every day.

history

忙 combines 心 (heart) and 亡 (to perish). When you're so busy your heart is dying — that's 忙.

culture

A common Chinese greeting is 你忙什么呢？(What are you busy with?) — it's casual small talk, like 'What's up?' in English.

忙 máng