热泪 (rè lèi) — hot tears (from strong emotion, not physical pa…

Definition

Literary word for tears of strong emotion (感动, 激动) — not from pain or cutting onions. Common in the set phrase 热泪盈眶 ('eyes brimming with hot tears').

noun

hot tears (from strong emotion, not physical pain)

，热泪。
Tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi, tā jī dòng dé liú xià le rè lèi.
Hearing this news, she was so moved that hot tears streamed down her face.
，。
Lǎo rén wò zhe ér zi de shǒu, rè lèi yíng kuàng.
The old man held his son's hand, his eyes brimming with hot tears.
，热泪。
Guān zhòng bèi gù shi shēn shēn dǎ dòng, bù shǎo rén liú xià le rè lèi.
The audience was deeply moved by the story, and many shed hot tears.

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.

The 热泪 are 泪, tears, that feel 热, hot, from strong emotion.

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 熱; 热 is its simplified writing.

埶灬熱

Meaning part形符xíngfú

灬Written in full as火huǒfire

Sound part声符shēngfú

埶

埶yì熱rè

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

The traditional form 熱 pairs 埶 with 火 (written as 灬) to show heat, while 埶 gives a sound.

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.