雷霆 (léi tíng) — thunderclap; thunderbolt; fury, wrath; overwhelming force (figurative)

Definition

Literary compound meaning a thunderclap or thunderbolt, and by extension an overwhelming, thunderous force or rage — far more forceful and figurative than everyday words like 愤怒.

noun
thunderclapthunderboltfurywrathoverwhelming force (figurative)

Examples

  • 雷霆。
    Zuó wǎn de léi tíng bǎ hái zi men xià xǐng le.
    Last night's thunderclap scared the children awake.
  • 雷霆。
    Tā tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi hòu léi tíng dà nù.
    After hearing the news, he flew into a thunderous rage.
  • 雷霆，。
    Tā de fèn nù rú léi tíng bān měng liè, lìng rén hài pà.
    His anger was as violent as a thunderclap, frightening people.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

雷léithunder
霆tínglightning

雷 thunder and 霆 lightning combine to describe thunder and lightning, then overwhelming force.

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
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
畾
畾léi雷léi
Same sound today

The top 雨 (rain) points to the meaning, and the bottom 畾 gives the sound.

Open 雷 →

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
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
廷
廷tíng霆tíng
Same sound today

霆 is built from 雨 (rain) above 廷, which supplies the sound; the rain part points to the meaning of thunder.

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