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痛哭流涕 (tòng kū liú tì) — to weep bitterly; to shed tears of deep sorrow or emotion

Definition

A written idiom meaning 'to weep bitterly, shedding tears of deep sorrow or strong emotion.' Stronger and more literary than everyday words like 哭 (cry) or 流泪 (shed tears) — used for profound grief or being deeply moved.

idiom
to weep bitterlyto shed tears of deep sorrow or emotion

Examples

  • ，痛哭流涕。
    Tā dé zhī mǔ qīn qù shì de xiāo xi hòu, tòng kū liú tì.
    After learning the news of his mother's passing, he wept bitterly.
  • ，痛哭流涕。
    Dú dào tā de xìn, tā gǎn dòng dé tòng kū liú tì.
    Upon reading her letter, he was moved to tears of anguish.
  • ，痛哭流涕。
    Huí yì qǐ nà duàn kǔ nàn de rì zi, lǎo rén bù jīn tòng kū liú tì.
    Recalling those days of suffering, the old man could not help but weep bitterly.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

痛哭cry bitterly
痛tòngbitterly哭kūcry
偏正Modifier + head
流涕shed tears
流liúflow涕tìtears
动宾Verb + object

痛哭 and 流涕 describe bitter crying and flowing tears, together meaning weeping bitterly.

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
疒疒nèillness
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng痛tòng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 疒 part means illness, and 甬 gives the sound; together they form 痛, meaning pain or hurt.

Open 痛 →

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
吅吅xuānto speak loudly
Sound part声符shēngfú
獄
獄yù哭kū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 哭 showed 吅, loudly, above a long-haired person; that lower part later became dog-like shapes. Later, 哭 was analyzed as 吅 plus 獄 for sound.

Open 哭 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㐬
㐬㐬流liú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

流 has 水, water, and 㐬, which gives the sound. The water part matches meanings such as flow.

Open 流 →

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shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
弟
弟dì涕
Same sound today

涕 combines 氵, a form of 水 meaning water, with 弟 (dì), which gives a sound clue.

Open 涕 →
Appears in
Emotions & FeelingsIdioms & Set Phrases

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