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叹息 (tàn xī) — to sigh, to heave a sigh (often literary, expressing sadness or regret)

Definition

Literary verb for 'to sigh' — used in writing and narrative for a sorrowful, regretful sigh, not everyday chat. Compare 叹气, the plain spoken equivalent.

verb
to sighto heave a sigh (often literary, expressing sadness or regret)

Examples

  • ，叹息。
    Tīng dào zhè ge huài xiāo xi, tā rěn bú zhù tàn xī le yī shēng.
    Hearing this bad news, he couldn't help but sigh.
  • ，叹息。
    Lǎo rén wàng zhe yuǎn fāng, qīng qīng tàn xī.
    The old man looked into the distance and sighed softly.
  • 叹息：‘。’
    Tā tàn xī zhe shuō: 'zhè shì mìng a.'
    She sighed and said, 'This is fate.'

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

叹tànsigh
息xīsigh

Both 叹 and 息 express sighing, so together they mean to sigh.

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 嘆; 叹 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 叹 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 嘆; in others it is 歎.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
歎
歎tàn嘆tàn
Same sound today

The traditional form 嘆 pairs 口 (mouth) with 歎 as the sound part; it shows a mouth letting out a sigh.

Open 叹 →

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

In 息, 自 is nose and 心 is heart, showing breath or life passing through one's nose.

Open 息 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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