悔过 (huǐ guò) — to repent, to acknowledge and regret one's mist… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

悔过 means to publicly acknowledge and feel deep regret for a wrongdoing — stronger and more formal than simply saying 道歉 or admitting a small mistake. Often used for official or moral repentance.

verb

to repent, to acknowledge and regret one's mistakes

Examples

，。
Tā huǐ le yí cì guò, dà jiā jiù yuán liàng tā le.
He repented once, and everyone forgave him.
悔过。
Nǐ yīng gāi wèi zì jǐ de cuò wù huǐ guò.
You should repent for your own mistakes.
悔过，。
Tā dāng zhòng huǐ guò, chéng rèn le zì jǐ de guò cuò.
He repented publicly, admitting his faults.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

过guòmistake

悔 “regret” directed at 过 “mistake” expresses repenting one's faults.

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.

忄每悔

Meaning part形符xíngfú

忄Written in full as心xīn

Sound part声符shēngfú

每

每měi悔huǐ

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

悔 pairs 忄, the heart part, with 每, which gives a sound hint.

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 過; 过 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辵辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

咼

咼wāi過guò

Same sound today

The traditional form 過 pairs 辵 (walk) with 咼 as a sound component; the simplified 过 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical components.

Appears in

Emotions & Feelings

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