温软 (wēn ruǎn) — warm and soft; tender

Definition

Literary adjective pairing 温 ('warm') and 软 ('soft') to describe something gentle to the touch or tender in feeling. Use it for poetic, written contexts — everyday speech usually picks 软 or 舒服 instead.

adjective
warm and softtender

Examples

  • 温软。
    Zhè tiáo wēn ruǎn de máo tǎn ràng wǒ jué de hěn shū fu.
    This warm and soft blanket makes me feel very comfortable.
  • 温软。
    Tā yòng wēn ruǎn de shǒu zhǎng qīng qīng fǔ mō hái zi de liǎn.
    She gently stroked the child's face with her warm and soft palm.
  • 温软。
    Mǔ qīn de mù guāng lǐ chōng mǎn le wēn ruǎn de ài yì.
    The mother's gaze was full of tender affection.

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.

温wēnwarm
软ruǎnsoft

Warm and soft are parallel qualities, together meaning tender warmth.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 溫; 温 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 溫 is based on an older form 𥁕, which drew a person bathing in a container full of warm water. The simplified 温 is a later variant.

Open 温 →

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 軟; 软 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
耎
耎ruǎn軟ruǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 軟 pairs 車 (carriage) with 耎 as a sound part; 耎 depicted a man under rain, and simplified 软 uses a later right side instead of 耎.

Open 软 →

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