泄恨 (xiè hèn) — to vent one's hatred, to give vent to spite

Definition

Literary verb meaning 'to vent one's hatred or spite'. More formal and intense than everyday 出气, and typically takes revenge or aggression as its outlet, not just words.

verb
to vent one's hatredto give vent to spite

Examples

  • 泄恨。
    Tā zhè yàng zuò zhǐ shì wèi le xiè hèn.
    He did this just to vent his hatred.
  • ，。
    Tā zhōng yú xiè le hèn, xīn lǐ shū fu duō le.
    She finally vented her hatred and felt much better.
  • 泄恨。
    Zhè zhǒng bào fu xíng wéi bìng bù néng zhēn zhèng xiè hèn.
    This kind of revenge cannot truly vent one's hatred.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

泄xièrelease
恨hènhatred

泄 means release and 恨 means hatred, so it is venting spite.

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 洩; 泄 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
曳
曳yè洩xiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 洩, 氵 marks the water-related meaning, while 曳 gives the sound; the simplified 泄 is a later abbreviation.

Open 泄 →

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
忄Written in full as心xīnheart; thought; emotion
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn恨hèn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 忄 is the heart, pointing to an emotion such as regret or hate. The right side 艮 supplies the sound.

Open 恨 →

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