痛改前非 (tòng gǎi qián fēi) — to sincerely mend one's ways; to thoroughly reform

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning to thoroughly repent and reform past wrongdoings. 痛 conveys the depth of regret; 非 refers specifically to one's former mistakes.

verb
to sincerely mend one's waysto thoroughly reform

Examples

  • 痛改前非，。
    Tā chū yù hòu jué xīn tòng gǎi qián fēi, chóng xīn zuò rén.
    After getting out of prison, he was determined to sincerely mend his ways and start anew.
  • 痛改前非，。
    Wǒ jué dìng tòng gǎi qián fēi, bú zài làng fèi shí jiān.
    I decided to thoroughly reform and stop wasting time.
  • ，痛改前非，。
    Jīng guò zhè cì jiào xùn, tā tòng gǎi qián fēi, nǔ lì gōng zuò.
    After this lesson, he sincerely mended his ways and worked hard.

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
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
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
巳
巳sì改gǎi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

An early form of 改 paired 巳 as a sound part with 攴 as a meaning part; the sound part later changed.

Open 改 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In the older form of 前, 止 (foot) and 舟 (boat) showed a foot on a boat moving forward; in the current 前 those parts are shortened.

Open 前 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 非 is drawn from two wings facing opposite directions. It later came to be used for going against or not being.

Open 非 →

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