殉情 (xùn qíng) — to die for love (often of a couple dying together)

Definition

A literary verb meaning to die (with one's partner) for love, especially in classical or tragic contexts. Almost always about a couple dying together — not a general 'sacrifice oneself for love'.

verb
to die for love (often of a couple dying together)

Examples

  • 殉情。
    Tā men wèi le ài qíng xuǎn zé xùn qíng.
    They chose to die for love.
  • 。
    Nà duì liàn rén xùn guò yí cì qíng.
    That couple died for love once.
  • 殉情。
    Gǔ dài hěn duō qíng lǚ bèi pò xùn qíng.
    In ancient times many couples were forced to die for love.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

殉xùndie for
情qínglove

殉 means die for and 情 means love, so the picture is dying for love.

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
歹歹dǎi
Sound part声符shēngfú
旬
旬xún殉xùn
Same sound today

The left part 歹 relates to death, and the right part 旬 gives the sound.

Open 殉 →

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
青
青qīng情qíng
Same sound today

情 shows 心 (heart) beside 青, which gives the sound. The heart part points to feelings and inner states.

Open 情 →

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