情义 (qíng yì) — feelings of affection and moral obligation (between friends, family, etc.)

Definition

情义 (qíng yì) is the deep bond of affection AND moral duty between people who share a history (family, sworn brothers,战友). It stresses mutual loyalty and obligation — closer to 'ties of love and duty' than just 感情 (raw feeling).

noun
feelings of affection and moral obligation (between friends, family, etc.)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 情义。
    Tā men xiōng dì zhī jiān de qíng yì fēi cháng shēn hòu.
    The bond of affection and loyalty between the brothers is very deep.
  • ，情义。
    Tā wèi le bào ēn, yì zhí bú wàng yǐ qián de qíng yì.
    To repay a kindness, he never forgets the ties of feeling and duty from the past.
  • 。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng jiǎng de shì zhàn luàn zhōng de jiā guó qíng yì.
    This film is about the emotion and loyalty toward family and country during war.

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.

情qíngfeelings
义yìmoral ties

情 feelings and 义 moral ties combine to mean affectionate obligation.

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
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 義; 义 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
我
我wǒ義yì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 義 has 我 giving the sound and 羊 meaning good or auspicious; the simplified 义 is a later abbreviation.

Open 义 →

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