慨叹 (kǎi tàn) — to sigh with emotion (often regret, nostalgia, or admiration)

Definition

A formal, written verb: to sigh emotionally — often over time passing, the past, or something impressive. More literary than everyday 叹气 (tàn qì, 'to sigh').

verb
to sigh with emotion (often regret, nostalgia, or admiration)

Examples

  • 慨叹，。
    Tā kǎi tàn shí guāng fēi shì, zhuǎn yǎn yǐ guò shí nián.
    He sighed with emotion at how time flies — ten years have passed in the blink of an eye.
  • 慨叹，。
    Lǎo rén kǎi tàn wǎng shì, yǎn zhōng mǎn shì huái niàn.
    The old man sighed with emotion over the past, his eyes full of nostalgia.
  • ，慨叹。
    Miàn duì rú cǐ měi jǐng, tā bù jīn kǎi tàn qǐ lái.
    Faced with such beautiful scenery, he couldn't help but sigh with admiration.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

慨kǎisigh with emotion
叹tànsigh

慨 and 叹 both convey sighing or lamenting, so together mean to sigh with emotion.

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

The left side 心 is a heart, showing the character concerns feelings; the right side 既 is used for its sound.

Open 慨 →

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 嘆; 叹 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 叹 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 嘆; in others it is 歎.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
歎
歎tàn嘆tàn
Same sound today

The traditional form 嘆 pairs 口 (mouth) with 歎 as the sound part; it shows a mouth letting out a sigh.

Open 叹 →

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