抱头痛哭 (bào tóu tòng kū) — to weep in each other's arms; to embrace and cry bitterly

Definition

A vivid chengyu-style idiom meaning to clutch one's head and weep bitterly, often at a reunion or farewell. It describes the physical act of embracing someone while sobbing, not the quieter kind of crying.

idiom
to weep in each other's armsto embrace and cry bitterly

Examples

  • ，抱头痛哭。
    Tīng dào zhè ge è hào, jiě mèi liǎ bù jīn bào tóu tòng kū.
    Upon hearing this tragic news, the two sisters couldn't help weeping in each other's arms.
  • ，抱头痛哭。
    Shī sàn duō nián de fù zǐ zhōng yú chóng féng, liǎng rén bào tóu tòng kū.
    The father and son who had been separated for years finally reunited, embracing and crying bitterly.
  • ，抱头痛哭，。
    Gào bié shí, tā men bào tóu tòng kū, yuē dìng yí dìng yào zài jiàn.
    At the farewell, they wept in each other's arms, promising to meet again.

Origin

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
包
包bāo抱
Same sound today

抱 pairs 扌 (hand) with 包; the hand part shows holding, while 包 supplies the sound and the sense of wrapping.

Open 抱 →

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 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →

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
疒疒nèillness
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng痛tòng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 疒 part means illness, and 甬 gives the sound; together they form 痛, meaning pain or hurt.

Open 痛 →

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
吅吅xuānto speak loudly
Sound part声符shēngfú
獄
獄yù哭kū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 哭 showed 吅, loudly, above a long-haired person; that lower part later became dog-like shapes. Later, 哭 was analyzed as 吅 plus 獄 for sound.

Open 哭 →

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