燕尔 (yàn ěr) — newlyweds; happily married (of a newly married couple)

Definition

Literary idiom for a newly married couple in their happy early days — used in writing, not everyday speech. Equivalent in plain Chinese to 新婚.

idiom
newlywedshappily married (of a newly married couple)

Examples

  • 燕尔，。
    Tā men xīn hūn yàn ěr, fēi cháng xìng fú.
    They are newly married and very happy.
  • 燕尔。
    Zhè duì yàn ěr fū qī zhèng zài dù mì yuè.
    This newlywed couple is on their honeymoon.
  • 燕尔，。
    Kàn dào tā men yàn ěr de yàng zi, zhēn lìng rén xiàn mù.
    Seeing how happily married they are makes people envious.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

燕 comes from a picture of a swallow.

Open 燕 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 爾; 尔 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 爾, simplified as 尔, originally drew cloth on a loom with crossing threads. It was borrowed for its sound to write “you,” so the picture is unrelated to that meaning.

Open 尔 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.