Chinese–EnglishWith examples

折腾

zhē teng · zhe teng

Traditional 折騰

HSK 7–9Old HSK 6

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. to toss from side to side (e.g. sleeplessly)
  2. to repeat sth over and over again
  3. to torment sb
  4. to play crazy
  5. to squander (time, money)
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In a conversation

0:21 cartoon

Tossing and turning

  1. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)昨晚(zuówǎn)睡(shuì)得(de)好(hǎo)吗(ma)？

    Did you sleep well last night?

  2. Dengdeng

    别(bié)提(tí)了(le)，我(wǒ)折腾(zhēteng)了(le)一(yī)晚上(wǎnshang)。

    Do not ask. I tossed and turned all night.

  3. Liangliang

    为什么(wèishénme)？因为(yīnwèi)咖啡(kāfēi)吗(ma)？

    Why? Because of the coffee?

  4. Dengdeng

    不是(bùshì)，我(wǒ)在(zài)想(xiǎng)要不要(yàobùyào)换(huàn)一(yī)张(zhāng)新(xīn)床(chuáng)。

    No, I was thinking about swapping my bed for a new one.

  5. Liangliang

    别(bié)折腾(zhēteng)了(le)，你(nǐ)的(de)床(chuáng)不是(bùshì)才(cái)买(mǎi)的(de)吗(ma)？

    Stop making a fuss. Did you not just buy that bed?

  6. Dengdeng

    对(duì)，所以(suǒyǐ)我(wǒ)才(cái)睡(shuì)不(bù)着(zháo)。

    Right, so I could not fall asleep.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

他(tā)整(zhěng)晚(wǎn)翻(fān)来(lái)覆(fù)去(qù)地(de)折(zhē)腾(teng)，怎(zěn)么(me)也(yě)睡(shuì)不(bu)着(zháo)。

He tossed and turned all night, unable to fall asleep.

02

别(bié)为(wèi)这(zhè)件(jiàn)小(xiǎo)事(shì)来(lái)回(huí)折(zhē)腾(teng)了(le)，赶(gǎn)紧(jǐn)决(jué)定(dìng)吧(ba)。

Don't keep going back and forth over this trivial matter; hurry up and decide.

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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