折腾

• 拼音: zhē teng
• 汉字拆解: 折 = 扌+ 斤 (to break/fold); 腾 = 月 + 券 + 马 (to gallop)

含义

To toss about; to torment; to go through trouble; to make a fuss over something.

Has multiple nuances: (1) physical tossing/turning, (2) causing repeated trouble or disturbance, (3) going through hardship, (4) fussing over something unnecessarily. Colloquial and expressive.

例句

1. 他整夜翻来覆去折腾，根本睡不着觉。
2. 这个项目把团队折腾了好几个月才终于完成。
3. 别再折腾了，就这样定下来吧。

用法指南

语境: daily life, work, complaints

语气: exasperated

正确说法

• 这场病把他折腾得瘦了十斤。(This illness tormented him so much that he lost ten jin.)
• 小孩子精力旺盛，一天到晚折腾个不停。(Little kids are full of energy, tossing about non-stop all day long.)

错误说法

• 折腾困难 — 折腾 itself implies hardship; say 经历困难 or 饱受折腾

起源与历史

折 (to break/turn) + 腾 (to gallop/move energetically)

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal