姗姗来迟 (shān shān lái chí) — to be late (in a leisurely or unhurried manner, often used in literary or formal contexts)

Definition

A literary chengyu meaning 'to arrive slowly and late' — the reduplicated 姗姗 paints a picture of unhurried, deliberate slowness. Stronger and more formal than plain 来晚了.

idiom
to be late (in a leisurely or unhurried manner, often used in literary or formal contexts)

Examples

  • 姗姗来迟，。
    Zhè wèi kè rén shān shān lái chí, dà jiā dōu děng le hěn jiǔ.
    This guest arrived late and everyone waited a long time.
  • 姗姗来迟，。
    Chūn tiān suī rán shān shān lái chí, dàn zhōng jiū hái shì lái le.
    Spring came late, but it finally arrived after all.
  • 姗姗来迟，。
    Tā měi cì yuē huì dōu shān shān lái chí, ràng rén hěn bù gāo xìng.
    He's always late for dates, which makes people very unhappy.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 姍; 姗 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚfemale
Sound part声符shēngfú
刪
刪shān姍
Same sound today

The form 姍 pairs 女 (female) with 刪 as a sound part. This note is about 姍, not 姗.

Open 姗 →

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 姍; 姗 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚfemale
Sound part声符shēngfú
刪
刪shān姍
Same sound today

The form 姍 pairs 女 (female) with 刪 as a sound part. This note is about 姍, not 姗.

Open 姗 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 來; 来 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 來 shows a wheat plant: a central ear, upward leaves, and downward stem and roots. The simplified 来 is a later shorthand.

Open 来 →

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòmotion
Sound part声符shēngfú
尺
尺chǐ迟chí
Same sound today

迟 pairs 辶, a walking sign, with 尺, used for the sound.

Open 迟 →

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