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惦记 (diàn jì) — to be concerned about; to keep thinking about (with affection or worry)

Definition

惦记 means to keep thinking of someone with affection or quiet worry, often because they're far away. Stronger and more emotionally weighted than 关心 or 关怀 (general concern), and warmer than 挂念/牵挂 (anxious worry).

verb
to be concerned aboutto keep thinking about (with affection or worry)

Examples

  • 惦记。
    Wǒ yì zhí zài diàn jì zhe yuǎn fāng de fù mǔ.
    I've been constantly thinking about my parents far away.
  • 惦记，。
    Nǐ bié diàn jì wǒ, wǒ huì zhào gù hǎo zì jǐ de.
    Don't worry about me — I'll take good care of myself.
  • 惦记。
    Tā chū chāi shí zǒng diàn jì zhe jiā lǐ de shì.
    When he's on a business trip, he's always concerned about things at home.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

惦diànthink of
记jìremember

“惦” (think of) and “记” (remember) together mean keeping someone in mind with worry.

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
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
店
店diàn惦diàn
Same sound today

The left part 忄, a form of 心, points to feeling or concern, while the right part 店 gives the character's sound.

Open 惦 →

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 記; 记 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech; words
Sound part声符shēngfú
己
己jǐ記jì
Same sound today

The traditional form 記 pairs 言 (speech; words) with 己 as a sound part; the simplified 记 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the historical component.

Open 记 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Emotions & FeelingsThinking & Cognition

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