to float in air or on water; unstable, unsteady
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
3 senses · 6 examplesverb
to drift; to float in the air
literaryOften describes light objects like clouds, smoke, or leaves moving gently through the air.
Jǐ几
duǒ朵
bái白
yún云
zài在
tiān天
kōng空
zhōng中
piāo飘
fú浮
。
A few white clouds are floating in the sky.
Kōng空
qì气
zhōng中
piāo飘
fú浮
zhe着
huā花
xiāng香
。
The scent of flowers drifts in the air.
verb
to float on water; to drift
Synonymous with '漂浮'. Can describe objects like boats or leaves on water.
Xiǎo小
chuán船
zài在
hú湖
miàn面
shàng上
piāo飘
fú浮
。
A small boat is floating on the lake.
Yóu油
wū污
zài在
hé河
miàn面
shàng上
piāo飘
fú浮
。
An oil slick is floating on the river's surface.
adjective
unsettled; unstable; unsteady
literaryUsed metaphorically to describe a feeling of insecurity, a transient lifestyle, or an unstable situation.
Tā他
zài在
yì异
xiāng乡
gǎn感
dào到
yī一
zhǒng种
piāo飘
fú浮
gǎn感
。
He feels a sense of rootlessness in a foreign land.
Zhè这
duàn段
rì日
zi子
，
tā她
de的
xīn心
shǐ始
zhōng终
piāo飘
fú浮
bù不
dìng定
。
During this period, her heart has remained unsettled.