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叹气 (tàn qì) — to sigh

Definition

叹气 (tànqì) is the verb 'to sigh' — a slow exhalation expressing sadness, resignation, or weariness. Unlike 感叹 (to exclaim with feeling, often admiration), 叹气 focuses on quiet regret rather than vocal admiration.

verb
to sigh

Examples

  • ，。
    Tā tīng le zhè huà, tàn le yì kǒu qì.
    Hearing this, he heaved a sigh.
  • 叹气，。
    Bié zǒng shì tàn qì, yào xiǎng bàn fǎ jiě jué wèn tí.
    Don't always sigh; think of ways to solve the problem.
  • ，叹气。
    Tā wàng zhe chuāng wài, qīng qīng de tàn qì.
    She looked out the window and sighed softly.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

叹tànsigh
气qìbreath

叹 is the act of exhaling, and 气 is breath, so together they picture letting out a sigh.

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 嘆; 叹 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 叹 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 嘆; in others it is 歎.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
歎
歎tàn嘆tàn
Same sound today

The traditional form 嘆 pairs 口 (mouth) with 歎 as the sound part; it shows a mouth letting out a sigh.

Open 叹 →

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 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Emotions & Feelings

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