切肤之痛 (qiè fū zhī tòng) — keenly felt personal pain or loss

Definition

A chengyu meaning a pain that cuts to the bone — deep, personal, and intensely felt (as in losing a loved one or a major failure). It always describes a shared or recognizable emotional wound, not a minor discomfort.

noun
keenly felt personal pain or loss

Examples

  • 切肤之痛，。
    Zhè cì shī bài duì tā lái shuō rú tóng qiè fū zhī tòng, ràng tā jiǔ jiǔ bù néng shì huái.
    This failure felt like a keenly felt pain to him, making it hard for him to move on for a long time.
  • 切肤之痛，。
    Shī qù zhì qīn de qiè fū zhī tòng, zhǐ yǒu jīng lì guò de rén cái néng lǐ jiě.
    Only those who have experienced it can understand the deep personal loss of losing a close family member.
  • 切肤之痛。
    Tā de yì fān huà dào chū le xǔ duō rén xīn zhōng de qiè fū zhī tòng.
    His words voiced the keenly felt pain in many people's hearts.

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
刀刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
七
七qī切qiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 切, the 刀 (knife) part is joined to 七, which gives the sound.

Open 切 →

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
肉肉ròuflesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
夫
夫fū肤fū
Same sound today

The shape of 肤 comes from 肉, flesh, plus 夫, which gives the sound.

Open 肤 →

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

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

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 →

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