慷慨激昂 (kāng kǎi jī áng) — impassioned and stirring (of speech, manner, etc.); vehement; rousing

Definition

A four-character idiom describing speech or manner that is both generous in spirit and charged with strong emotion — i.e. impassioned and stirring. It is a fixed set phrase (成语), typically used of speeches, debates, or emotional storytelling.

idiom
impassioned and stirring (of speech, manner, etc.)vehementrousing

Examples

  • 慷慨激昂，。
    Tā zài yǎn jiǎng zhōng biǎo xiàn dé kāng kǎi jī áng, yíng dé le quán chǎng guān zhòng de zhǎng shēng.
    He was so impassioned and stirring in his speech that he won applause from the entire audience.
  • ，慷慨激昂，。
    Zhè wèi lǎo zhàn shì huí yì qǐ zhàn dòu wǎng shì shí, yǔ qì kāng kǎi jī áng, lìng rén dòng róng.
    When the old veteran recalled the battles, his tone was so vehement that it moved everyone.
  • ，慷慨激昂。
    Biàn lùn sài zhōng, zhèng fāng dài biǎo kāng kǎi jī áng dì chén shù le hé xīn lǐ yóu.
    In the debate, the affirmative representative rousingly stated the core arguments.

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.

慷慨impassioned
慷kāngimpassioned慨kǎiemotional
联合Side by side
激昂stirred
激jīstirred昂ángrising
联合Side by side

慷慨 gives impassioned feeling, and 激昂 gives rising spirits: stirring 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
康
康kāng慷
Same sound today

慷 pairs 心 (heart) with 康, which gives the sound.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
敫
敫jiǎo激jī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 激, the 氵 side marks water, and 敫 gives the sound jiǎo; the original sense is water swashing.

Open 激 →

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
日日rìsun
Sound part声符shēngfú
卬
卬áng昂áng
Same sound today

昂 pairs 日 (sun) with 卬, a drawing of a standing man and a kneeling man that gives the sound.

Open 昂 →

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