流泪 (liú lèi) — to shed tears | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A vivid verb literally meaning 'to flow tears' — used when eyes actually produce tears (from emotion, pain, or joy). More concrete and physical than abstract ways of saying 'cry'; pairs naturally with 忍不住 and 激动.

verb

to shed tears

Examples

，流泪。
Tā kàn le yí bù gǎn rén de diàn yǐng, rěn bú zhù liú lèi.
He watched a touching movie and couldn't help shedding tears.
，。
Tā liú le hǎo jǐ cì lèi, cái bǎ xīn lǐ de huà shuō chū lái.
She shed tears several times before she could speak her mind.
，流泪。
Mā ma kàn dào hái zi huí lái, jī dòng dé liú lèi.
The mother shed tears of joy when she saw her child return.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

流 conveys flowing out, 泪 is tears, giving the image of tears flowing out.

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

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

㐬

㐬㐬流liú

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

流 has 水, water, and 㐬, which gives the sound. The water part matches meanings such as flow.

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 淚; 泪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

戾

戾lì淚lèi

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

The traditional form 淚 uses 水 (water) and 戾 for sound; this describes 淚, not 泪.

Appears in

HSK 2.0 Level 4 Emotions & Feelings

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