Definition
怜惜 means to feel tenderness and compassion for someone or something vulnerable, often with a desire to protect. It implies 'tender pity' — deeper than 同情 (tóng qíng, sympathy) or 可怜 (kě lián, to pity), and unlike 珍惜/爱惜 (to cherish), it emphasizes emotional compassion over value or thrift.
verb
to take pity onto feel tenderness for
Easily confused
- 联系lián xìsound-aliketo contact, to get in touch with (someone)
- 练习liàn xísound-alike(verb) to practice
Examples
- 怜惜。Tā duì nà zhī shòushāng de xiǎo māo fēicháng lián xī.He has great pity for that injured kitten.
- ,怜惜。Kàn dào tā de chǔjìng, wǒ xīnzhōng chōngmǎn le lián xī.Seeing her situation, my heart was filled with tenderness.
- 怜惜。Tāmen lián xī zhè wèi gūguǎ lǎorén de zāoyù.They pity the plight of this lonely elderly person.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.