可歌可泣 (kě gē kě qì) — (chengyu) deeply moving and inspiring (of heroic deeds or tragic events)

Definition

A formal chengyu used to praise heroic or tragic deeds that move people so deeply they could be sung about and wept over. Usually describes grand historical or patriotic events, not ordinary life.

idiom
(chengyu) deeply moving and inspiring (of heroic deeds or tragic events)

Examples

  • 可歌可泣。
    Tā de yīng xióng shì jì zhēn shì kě gē kě qì.
    His heroic deeds are truly moving.
  • 可歌可泣。
    Nà duàn lì shǐ zhōng kě gē kě qì de gù shi lìng rén gǎn dòng.
    The moving stories in that period of history are touching.
  • 可歌可泣。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng jiǎng shù le kě gē kě qì de kàng zhàn gù shi.
    This movie tells a moving story of the resistance war.

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.

可歌can be sung
可kěcan歌gēsing
偏正Modifier + head
可泣can be wept
可kěcan泣qìweep
偏正Modifier + head

可歌 and 可泣 run side by side, with 可 meaning can or worth, 歌 meaning sing, and 泣 meaning weep, together describing deeds that move people to song and tears.

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

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
欠欠qiànblow
Sound part声符shēngfú
哥
哥gē歌gē
Same sound today

The shape 歌 uses 哥 for the sound and 欠, meaning blow. It came from a form of 哥 used for singing.

Open 歌 →

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
立
立lì泣qì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

泣 pairs 氵 (water) with 立 for the sound. It originally meant tears and later came to mean crying.

Open 泣 →

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