Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 忙 | máng |
| 繁忙 | fánmáng |
The term 忙 (máng) is the most common and general way to say 'busy' in Chinese. For a more specific sense of being actively engaged in various tasks or projects, you can use the phrase 忙碌 (máng lù). To express being busy doing a specific action, use the structure 忙着 + [verb], such as 忙着工作 (busy working). To emphasize being extremely busy to the point of exhaustion, you can use the informal expression 忙死了 (máng sǐ le).
Which one should you use?
While 忙 is typically used for personal busyness, 繁忙 (fánmáng) is a more formal term often used to describe things like busy traffic, busy streets or a busy schedule. Additionally, 繁忙 implies being extremely busy or having a heavy workload.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 忙 as an adjective to say 'I am busy', you typically use the adverb 很 (hěn) instead of the verb 是 (shì). To turn the adjective 忙 into a question, you can simply add the particle 吗 (ma) at the end of the sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
máng
Did you know?
- The phonetic part of the character 忙 is 亡, which means 'to perish' or 'to die'. This creates a visual connection between being 'busy' and the concept of 'loss' or 'death' in the character's structure.
- In Chinese social etiquette, telling someone you are 忙 can be a polite way to decline an invitation without saying 'no' directly.
- The character 忙 contains the radical 忄, which is a simplified version of the character for 'heart'. This suggests that being 'busy' is something that affects one's emotional or mental state, not just their schedule.
Examples in context
- 我最近很忙。I'm very busy these days.This sentence shows how to use 忙 to say you have been busy recently.Tatoeba #409710 by egg0073, translation #60801 by CK
- 现在你忙吗？Are you busy now?This sentence demonstrates how to use 忙 in a question with 吗?Tatoeba #1470487 by GlossaMatik, translation #241849 by CK
- 我總是忙碌。I'm busy all the time.This sentence shows how to use 忙 to express being busy all the time.Tatoeba #3713700 by egg0073, translation #253162 by CK
- 我很忙I'm busy.
- 我们这段时间非常繁忙We're extremely busy during this period.
- 我昨天一整天都很忙碌I was busy all day yesterday.
- 最近我忙死了，都没有时间休息I've been so busy lately, I haven't had time to rest.
- 我非常忙！I've been extremely busy!
- 234 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking in the office.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你今天忙吗？Nǐ jīntiān máng ma?Are you busy today?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我很忙，有很多工作。Wǒ hěn máng, yǒu hěnduō gōngzuò.I am very busy, I have a lot of work.
- 志强 Zhiqiang那我下午再来找你。Nà wǒ xiàwǔ zài lái zhǎo nǐ.Then I will come to find you in the afternoon.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen好的，谢谢你。Hǎo de, xièxiè nǐ.Okay, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “busy” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 忙, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
