含情脉脉 (hán qíng mò mò) — (idiom) to look at someone with tender affection; to gaze lovingly

Definition

A literary chengyu describing a long, loving gaze full of unspoken feeling — typically the eyes of a lover, usually romantic rather than familial.

idiom
to look at someone with tender affectionto gaze lovingly

Examples

  • 含情脉脉，。
    Tā hán qíng mò mò dì kàn zhe tā, yí jù huà yě méi shuō.
    She looked at him with tender affection, without saying a word.
  • ，含情脉脉，。
    Diàn yǐng lǐ, liǎng rén hán qíng mò mò dì duì wàng, guān zhòng dōu gǎn dòng le.
    In the movie, the two looked at each other lovingly, and the audience was moved.
  • ，含情脉脉。
    Měi cì jiàn miàn, tā zǒng shì hán qíng mò mò dì zhù shì zhe wǒ.
    Every time we meet, she always gazes at me with tender affection.

Origin

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kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
今
今jīn含hán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

含 is built from 口 (mouth) and 今 (jīn). The 口 part is about the mouth, while 今 gives the sound.

Open 含 →

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng情qíng
Same sound today

情 shows 心 (heart) beside 青, which gives the sound. The heart part points to feelings and inner states.

Open 情 →

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 脈; 脉 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròuflesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂢
𠂢𠂢脈mài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 脈 pairs ⺼ (flesh) with a sound part, 𠂢; the simplified 脉 is a shorthand, so its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 脉 →

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 脈; 脉 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròuflesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂢
𠂢𠂢脈mài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 脈 pairs ⺼ (flesh) with a sound part, 𠂢; the simplified 脉 is a shorthand, so its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 脉 →

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