怀德 (huái dé) — (verb-object) to cherish virtue; to hold virtue in one's heart

Definition

A literary verb-object phrase meaning 'to cherish virtue / keep virtue in one's heart'. Written/formal register — used in classical-style prose, not everyday speech.

verb
(verb-object) to cherish virtueto hold virtue in one's heart

Examples

  • 怀德。
    Jūn zǐ yīng dāng huái dé.
    A noble person should cherish virtue.
  • 。
    Tā huái le yí bèi zi de dé.
    He cherished virtue all his life.
  • 怀德。
    Tā gào jiè zì jǐ yào huái dé.
    He admonished himself to cherish virtue.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

怀huáicherish
德dévirtue

怀 is to hold or cherish, and 德 is virtue, together meaning to keep virtue in mind.

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 懷; 怀 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
褱
褱huái懷huái
Same sound today

The traditional form 懷 uses 心 (heart) to show longing and 褱 for the sound; the simplified 怀 is a later shorthand.

Open 怀 →

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
彳彳chìroad
Sound part声符shēngfú
惪
惪dé德dé
Same sound today

德 combines 彳, a road, with 惪, a component meaning virtue that also supplies the sound.

Open 德 →

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