慷慨陈词 (kāng kǎi chén cí) — to state one's viewpoint passionately and vehemently

Definition

Literary idiom meaning to lay out one's views with passion and forceful words. Used in formal writing and speeches, not casual conversation.

idiom
to state one's viewpoint passionately and vehemently

Examples

  • 慷慨陈词，。
    Tā zài huì yì shàng kāng kǎi chén cí, pī píng le zhè xiàng bù gōng píng de zhèng cè.
    He spoke vehemently at the meeting, criticizing this unfair policy.
  • ，慷慨陈词，。
    Miàn duì zhì yí, tā kāng kǎi chén cí, yíng dé le yí piàn zhǎng shēng.
    Facing doubts, she expressed her views passionately and won a round of applause.
  • 慷慨陈词，。
    Zhè wèi lǎo jiào shòu zài bì yè diǎn lǐ shàng kāng kǎi chén cí, gǔ lì nián qīng rén yǒng gǎn zhuī qiú lǐ xiǎng.
    The old professor spoke fervently at the graduation ceremony, encouraging young people to bravely pursue their ideals.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

慷慨impassioned
慷kāngemotional慨kǎiindignant
联合Side by side
陈词state words
陈chénstate词cíwords
动宾Verb + object

慷慨 gives the sense of impassioned feeling, and 陈词 means to state words, so views are stated forcefully.

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
康
康kāng慷
Same sound today

慷 pairs 心 (heart) with 康, which gives the sound.

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 →

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 陳; 陈 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阜阜fùmound
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng陳chén
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 陳 pairs 阜 (mound) with 東 as a sound component.

Open 陈 →

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 詞; 词 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
司
司sī詞cí(r)
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 詞 uses 言, meaning speech, and 司 to show how it was pronounced; the simplified 词 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 词 →

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