以泪洗面 (yǐ lèi xǐ miàn) — (idiom) to be overwhelmed with grief; tears str…

Definition

Literally 'wash one's face with tears' — a literary idiom for crying nonstop out of deep sorrow. The image is more vivid and written than plain 哭.

idiom

to be overwhelmed with grieftears streaming down one's face(fig.) to be overwhelmed with griefto have one's face bathed in tears

，以泪洗面，。
Tīng dào zhè ge è hào, tā zhěng tiān yǐ lèi xǐ miàn, wú fǎ jiē shòu.
Upon hearing this terrible news, she was overwhelmed with grief all day and couldn't accept it.
，以泪洗面。
Diàn yǐng lǐ nà ge mǔ qīn shī qù hái zi de chǎng jǐng, zhēn shì lìng rén yǐ lèi xǐ miàn.
The scene in the movie where the mother loses her child was truly heartbreaking.
以泪洗面，。
Tā yǐ lèi xǐ miàn dì zuò zài chuáng biān, yí jù huà yě shuō bù chū lái.
He sat by the bed with a tearful face, unable to say a word.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape came from a drawing of a person carrying something; in 以, part of that person is still visible on the right.

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 淚; 泪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

戾

戾lì淚lèi

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 淚 uses 水 (water) and 戾 for sound; this describes 淚, not 泪.

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

先

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

洗 is built from 水 (water) and 先, which gives the character its sound.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

面 originally drew a man’s face, with one eye exaggerated; the horizontal stroke was added later.

Appears in