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shǒu 手 máng 忙 jiǎo 脚 luàn 乱

手忙脚乱 shǒu máng jiǎo luàn

in a flurry; frantic and disorganised

Literally: hands busy feet chaotic

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Origin

Descriptive; no single source story. Attested in Song dynasty Chan Buddhist records.

How to use it

Predicate or adverbial; negative or humorous. Often 忙得手忙脚乱.

Example sentences

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  1. 客人突然来了，我手忙脚乱地收拾房间。
    Kèrén tūrán lái le, wǒ shǒu máng jiǎo luàn de shōushi fángjiān.
    Guests arrived suddenly and I frantically tidied the room.
    guest suddenly come (particle), I hands busy feet chaotic (particle) tidy room
  2. 第一次做饭，他手忙脚乱，把菜都做糊了。
    Dì-yī cì zuòfàn, tā shǒu máng jiǎo luàn, bǎ cài dōu zuòhú le.
    Cooking for the first time, he was all over the place and burnt the food.
    first time cook, he hands busy feet chaotic, (object marker) dish all cook-burnt (particle)

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