TongTong
Sign in

愤慨 (fèn kǎi) — indignant (at injustice)

Definition

Strong, formal word for being deeply indignant at injustice or cruelty — much stronger than the everyday 生气. Usually describes public or moral outrage, not personal annoyance.

adjective
indignant (at injustice)

Examples

  • 愤慨。
    Tā duì zhè zhǒng bù gōng píng de dài yù gǎn dào fēi cháng fèn kǎi.
    He felt very indignant about this unfair treatment.
  • 愤慨，。
    Rén mín duì fǔ bài xíng wéi jí wéi fèn kǎi, yāo qiú yán chéng.
    The people are extremely indignant at corruption and demand severe punishment.
  • ，愤慨。
    Kàn dào qīn lüè zhě de bào xíng, tā xīn zhōng chōng mǎn le fèn kǎi.
    Seeing the atrocities of the invaders, his heart was filled with indignation.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

愤fènanger
慨kǎiindignation

愤 (anger) and 慨 (indignation) together mean being indignant.

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 憤; 愤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
賁
賁bì憤fèn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 憤 pairs 忄 (heart) with 賁, which gives the sound; the simplified 愤 is a later shorthand.

Open 愤 →

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
既
既jì慨kǎi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 心 is a heart, showing the character concerns feelings; the right side 既 is used for its sound.

Open 慨 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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