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关怀 (guān huái) — to show care for, to look after, to be concerned about

Definition

关怀 (guānhuái) is a more formal, warm 'to care for,' often used for groups or the vulnerable (elderly, employees, society). It is deeper and more affectionate than 关心, and broader than 照顾's hands-on looking after.

verb
to show care forto look afterto be concerned about

Examples

  • 关怀。
    Zhèng fǔ fēi cháng guān huái lǎo nián rén de shēng huó.
    The government greatly cares for the lives of the elderly.
  • 关怀。
    Qǐ yè yīng dāng guān huái yuán gōng de jiàn kāng.
    Companies should show care for employees' health.
  • 关怀。
    Shè huì xū yào guān huái měi yí gè rén.
    Society needs to care for every individual.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

关guānconcern
怀huáicherish/hold in mind

关 and 怀 both carry concern and holding someone in mind, so together they mean care and solicitude.

Characters in this word

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 關; 关 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
門門méndoor
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢇅
𢇅𢇅關guān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 关, the traditional form 關 shows 門 as a door and 𢇅 as two wooden sticks locking it, with ring-like marks on top.

Open 关 →

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 懷; 怀 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
褱
褱huái懷huái
Same sound today

The traditional form 懷 uses 心 (heart) to show longing and 褱 for the sound; the simplified 怀 is a later shorthand.

Open 怀 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 5Emotions & Feelings

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