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情有可原 (qíng yǒu kě yuán) — excusable; pardonable; understandable under the circumstances

Definition

A set idiom meaning someone's mistake or wrongdoing is 'understandable given the circumstances' — used to excuse or pardon. The situation must genuinely justify the action; it's stronger than just saying 'I see why.'

idiom
excusablepardonableunderstandable under the circumstances

Examples

  • ，情有可原。
    Tā dì yī cì chí dào, qíng yǒu kě yuán.
    It was his first time being late, so it's excusable.
  • ，，情有可原。
    Suī rán tā méi wán chéng gōng zuò, dàn shēng bìng le, yě qíng yǒu kě yuán.
    Even though she didn't finish the work, she was sick, so it's understandable.
  • ，情有可原。
    Zhè me dà de yǔ, nǐ chí dào qíng yǒu kě yuán.
    With such heavy rain, your lateness is excusable.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng情qíng
Same sound today

情 shows 心 (heart) beside 青, which gives the sound. The heart part points to feelings and inner states.

Open 情 →

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
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
又
又yòu有yǒu
Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

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 →

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

原 combines 泉 (spring) and 厂 (cliff), picturing a spring bursting from a cliff-side, which gives the sense of origin or source.

Open 原 →
Appears in
Attitudes & OpinionsIdioms & Set Phrases

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