唉声叹气 (āi shēng tàn qì) — to sigh in distress; to moan and groan

Definition

A vivid set phrase meaning to sigh repeatedly out of worry or unhappiness. Carries a negative judgment — the speaker sees the sighing as unproductive, not just feeling sad.

idiom
to sigh in distressto moan and groan

Examples

  • 唉声叹气，。
    Tā zuì jìn zǒng shì āi shēng tàn qì, hǎo xiàng yǒu shén me xīn shì.
    He's been sighing all the time lately, as if something is on his mind.
  • ，唉声叹气，。
    Yù dào kùn nan shí, bú yào zhǐ gù zhe āi shēng tàn qì, yào xiǎng bàn fǎ jiě jué.
    When you encounter difficulties, don't just moan and groan; think of a way to solve them.
  • ，唉声叹气。
    Tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi hòu, tā zuò zài nà lǐ āi shēng tàn qì le hěn jiǔ.
    After hearing the news, she sat there sighing in distress for a long time.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

唉声sighing sound
唉àisigh声shēngsound
偏正Modifier + head
叹气sigh
叹tànsigh气qìbreath
动宾Verb + object

唉声 gives the sound of sighing and 叹气 gives the act of letting breath out, so together they describe moaning and groaning.

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
矣
矣yǐ唉ài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

唉 combines 口 (mouth) with 矣, which gives the sound; the mouth part fits its use for spoken feelings like sympathy or disappointment.

Open 唉 →

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 聲; 声 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
殸
殸qìng聲shēng
Same sound today

The traditional form 聲 pairs 耳 (ear) with 殸 as a sound part; the simplified 声 is a shorthand and does not show those original parts.

Open 声 →

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 →

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