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领情 (lǐng qíng) — to appreciate someone's kindness, to feel grateful for a favor

Definition

领情 means to acknowledge and appreciate someone's kindness or favor — it focuses on the receiver's response, not on expressing thanks in words. Often used with 不 to mean refusing to accept someone's goodwill.

verb
to appreciate someone's kindnessto feel grateful for a favor

Examples

  • ，。
    Tā bāng le wǒ zhè me dà de máng, wǒ yí dìng yào lǐng qíng.
    He helped me so much; I must appreciate his kindness.
  • ，。
    Nǐ qǐng wǒ chī fàn, wǒ lǐng nǐ zhè ge qíng le.
    You invited me to dinner; I appreciate this kindness of yours.
  • ，领情。
    Tā sòng le wǒ lǐ wù, kě wǒ què méi lǐng qíng.
    He gave me a gift, but I didn't appreciate the kindness.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

领lǐngreceive; accept
情qíngfeeling; kindness; favor

领 is accept and 情 is kindness or favor, so accepting a favor gratefully.

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 領; 领 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng領lǐng
Same sound today

The traditional form 領 has 令 as a sound part and 頁 as a meaning part; the simplified 领 is a later shorthand.

Open 领 →

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng情qíng
Same sound today

情 shows 心 (heart) beside 青, which gives the sound. The heart part points to feelings and inner states.

Open 情 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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