望望 (wàng wàng) — appearance of being ashamed or defiled; distracted or uneasy look

Definition

Rare literary noun for an ashamed or uneasy look on someone's face — not everyday vocabulary. Use it to describe a person's expression (神色, 一脸), not a feeling on its own.

noun
appearance of being ashamed or defileddistracted or uneasy look
Easily confused

Examples

  • 望望，。
    Tā yì liǎn wàng wàng, bù gǎn zhí shì bié rén.
    He had a look of shame and didn't dare look anyone in the eye.
  • 望望，。
    Tā shén sè wàng wàng, sì hū yǒu shén me xīn shì.
    She looked distracted, as if something was on her mind.
  • ，望望。
    Nà hái zi bèi pī píng hòu, yí fù wàng wàng de yàng zi.
    After being criticized, the child had an ashamed expression.

Origin

Reduplicated word
构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

望wànglook
望wànglook

The two 望, meaning look, form a fixed word for a distracted or ashamed look.

Characters in this word

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

  • 臣臣chéneye
  • 𡈼𡈼𡈼person standing on the ground

望 originally showed 臣 (eye) beside 𡈼 (person standing on the ground): a person standing up and looking off into the distance. Later 月 was added, and the 臣 part became 亡.

Open 望 →

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

  • 臣臣chéneye
  • 𡈼𡈼𡈼person standing on the ground

望 originally showed 臣 (eye) beside 𡈼 (person standing on the ground): a person standing up and looking off into the distance. Later 月 was added, and the 臣 part became 亡.

Open 望 →

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