可怜相 (kě lián xiàng) — pitiable look

Definition

A fixed noun phrase for a 'pitiful look' someone puts on to seek sympathy. Refers to the performative expression itself, not genuine suffering.

noun
pitiable look

Examples

  • 可怜相，。
    Tā zhuāng chū yí fù kě lián xiàng, xiǎng ràng rén tóng qíng.
    He put on a pitiable look to gain sympathy.
  • 可怜相，。
    Kàn dào tā nà fù kě lián xiàng, dà jiā dōu xiào le.
    Seeing his pitiable look, everyone laughed.
  • 可怜相，。
    Nǐ bié zhuāng kě lián xiàng le, zhè bàn fǎ bù guǎn yòng.
    Don't put on a pitiable look; this method won't work.

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.

可怜pitiable
可kěcan be怜liánpity
偏正Modifier + head
相xiānglook

可怜 means worthy of pity, and 相 gives the look.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

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 憐; 怜 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
粦
粦lín憐lián
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 憐 combines 心 (heart) with 粦, which gives it its sound; the simplified 怜 is a later shorthand, and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 怜 →

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

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

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