衷肠 (zhōng cháng) — innermost feelings; heartfelt words (literary)

Definition

Literary noun for one's innermost feelings or heartfelt words — used almost only in fixed expressions like 诉衷肠 / 一诉衷肠 ('pour out one's heart').

noun

innermost feelingsheartfelt words (literary)

Easily confused

，衷肠。
Tā jiè zhe jiǔ yì, xiàng lǎo yǒu yí sù zhōng cháng.
Taking advantage of the alcohol, he poured out his heart to his old friend.
衷肠。
Zhè shǒu shī xiě jìn le yóu zǐ de zhōng cháng.
This poem fully captures the innermost feelings of a wanderer.
，衷肠。
Liǎng rén duì zuò wú yán, bǐ cǐ zhōng cháng què xīn zhào bù xuān.
The two sat facing each other in silence, their innermost feelings tacitly understood.

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.

衷 gives inner or heartfelt, 肠 stands for feelings; together mean heartfelt words.

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

衣衣yīclothes

Sound part声符shēngfú

中

Same sound today

The shape of 衷 combines 衣 (clothes) and 中 (middle; center), with 中 giving the 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 腸; 肠 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

昜

昜yáng腸cháng

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

The traditional form 腸 pairs 肉, the body, with 昜, which gives the sound; the simplified 肠 is a later shorthand.