乐观 (lè guān) — optimistic, hopeful | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

An optimistic outlook on a situation or life in general. Unlike 快乐 ('happy' as a feeling), 乐观 is a steady attitude toward the future; the opposite is 悲观.

adjective

optimistichopeful

Examples

，乐观。
Suī rán yù dào le kùn nan, dàn tā réng rán hěn lè guān.
Although he encountered difficulties, he is still very optimistic.
乐观。
Wǒ duì zhè cì kǎo shì de jié guǒ hěn lè guān.
I am very optimistic about the result of this exam.
乐观。
Tā zǒng shì yòng lè guān de tài dù miàn duì shēng huó.
She always faces life with an optimistic attitude.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

乐 means happy and 观 means view, so together they express a happy way of looking at things.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 樂; 乐 is its simplified writing.

絲絲sīstring
木木mùwood

In the traditional form 樂, 絲 (string) with 木 (wood) shows strings on a piece of wood, a musical instrument; the simplified 乐 is a later shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 觀; 观 is its simplified writing.

雚見觀

Meaning part形符xíngfú

見見jiànsee

Sound part声符shēngfú

雚

雚guàn觀guān

Same sound today

The traditional form 觀 uses 見 (see) for meaning and 雚 for sound.

Appears in

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