切肤之痛 (qiè fū zhī tòng) — keenly felt personal pain or loss

Definition

A chengyu meaning a pain that cuts to the bone — deep, personal, and intensely felt (as in losing a loved one or a major failure). It always describes a shared or recognizable emotional wound, not a minor discomfort.

noun

keenly felt personal pain or loss

Examples

切肤之痛，。
Zhè cì shī bài duì tā lái shuō rú tóng qiè fū zhī tòng, ràng tā jiǔ jiǔ bù néng shì huái.
This failure felt like a keenly felt pain to him, making it hard for him to move on for a long time.
切肤之痛，。
Shī qù zhì qīn de qiè fū zhī tòng, zhǐ yǒu jīng lì guò de rén cái néng lǐ jiě.
Only those who have experienced it can understand the deep personal loss of losing a close family member.
切肤之痛。
Tā de yì fān huà dào chū le xǔ duō rén xīn zhōng de qiè fū zhī tòng.
His words voiced the keenly felt pain in many people's hearts.

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.