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感伤 (gǎn shāng) — to be sad (in a gentle, reflective way); to be sentimental

Definition

A gentle, reflective sadness — feeling wistful or touched by something (a song, a season) rather than sharply upset. Stronger and more literary than 伤心, which is plain 'sad'.

adjective
to be sad (in a gentle, reflective way)to be sentimental

Examples

  • ，感伤。
    Tīng dào nà shǒu gē, tā gǎn dào yǒu xiē gǎn shāng.
    Hearing that song, she felt a bit sad.
  • 感伤。
    Qiū tiān zǒng shì ràng rén gǎn dào gǎn shāng.
    Autumn always makes people feel sentimental.
  • 感伤。
    Tā xiě le yì shǒu gǎn shāng de shī.
    He wrote a sentimental poem.

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

感 pairs 咸, which gives the sound, with 心, the heart, for feeling.

Open 感 →

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 傷; 伤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
𥏻
𥏻𥏻傷shāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 傷 shows 人, a person, and uses 𥏻 to give the sound; the simplified 伤 is a later shorthand.

Open 伤 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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