喧闹

• Pinyin: xuān nào
• Hanzi breakdown: 喧 = 口 (mouth) + 宣 (proclaim — a mouth loudly proclaiming); 闹 = 门 (gate) + 市 (market) — noisy like a marketplace within city gates

Meaning

Noisy; boisterous; clamorous. Describes an environment filled with loud sounds and animated activity.

Often describes busy markets, festivals, crowds, or lively gatherings. Has a sensory, atmospheric quality. Can be positive (festive bustle) or negative (disturbing noise). Contrasts with 宁静 or 安静.

Examples

1. 春节期间，整条街道张灯结彩，人来人往，喧闹的气氛让人深切感受到节日的喜庆与热烈。 During the Spring Festival, the whole street is decorated with lanterns and bustling with people; the lively clamor makes you feel the holiday’s joy and excitement.
2. 他厌倦了城市的喧闹，毅然辞去高薪工作，搬到山区过起了简朴的隐居生活。 Tired of the city’s noise, he quit his high-paying job and moved to the mountains to live a simple, secluded life.
3. 考场外，送考的家长们喧闹地交谈着，既满怀担忧，又充满期待，情绪难以平复。 Outside the exam site, parents seeing students off chatted noisily—anxious yet hopeful, their emotions hard to settle.

Usage Guide

Context: environment, daily life, urban life

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 节日庙会上喧闹非凡，孩子们四处奔跑嬉戏，摊位上的叫卖声此起彼伏，整个会场热闹得很。(The temple fair was exceptionally boisterous, with children running and playing everywhere and the vendors' calls rising and falling in endless succession, filling the whole venue with lively energy.)
• 他终于关上窗户，将外面施工工地的喧闹声隔绝在外，集中精力完成了论文的最后一章。(He finally shut the window, blocking out the boisterous construction noise outside, and was able to concentrate fully on finishing the last chapter of his thesis.)

Don't Say

• 这道菜非常喧闹 — 喧闹 describes auditory or atmospheric conditions, not food; for a strong-flavoured dish use 浓烈 or 味道十足; 喧闹 cannot modify food

Origin & History

喧 (loud noise) + 闹 (noisy/to make noise)

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal