横行

橫行

héngxíng

verb #17,059

Meanings

1 to run amok
2 to go on a rampage
3 to act tyrannically

Characters

horizontal; sideways; unreasonable

to walk; to travel

Literally 'to walk sideways' — like a crab, barging through without yielding to anyone.

Examples

黑帮在这个地区横行霸道。

Hēibāng zài zhège dìqū héngxíng-bàdào.

Gangs run amok in this area.

不能让犯罪分子继续横行。

Bù néng ràng fànzuì fènzǐ jìxù héngxíng.

We can't let criminals continue to run rampant.

Tips

memory

横 means 'horizontal/sideways' — imagine a crab walking sideways, pushing everything out of its way. In fact, 横行 literally describes how crabs walk, and was extended to mean 'acting without regard for others.'

Stroke Order

横 héng

行 xíng