乱七八糟

Origin and story

No single founding story is established by the cited Ministry of Education dictionary. It documents the expression in late-Qing fiction: chapter 23 of Twenty Years of Strange Events describes a disorganized stretch of writing, while chapter 28 of Nie Hai Hua describes thoughts that cannot be sorted into a clear pattern.

Those examples show that the phrase has long applied to ideas and language as well as physical clutter. Seven and eight help convey confusion; the words do not require counting seven or eight objects. A tidy room, an orderly explanation, and an organized plan are all possible contrasts. Claims tying the phrase to particular numbered rebellions need separate evidence.