解忧 (jiě yōu) — to relieve worries, to dispel sorrows

Definition

A literary/elevated verb meaning 'to dispel worries or sorrows', often used in the pattern 解…忧 (relieve some specific worry). More written and rhetorical than everyday 担心/发愁, which describe the worry itself.

verb
to relieve worriesto dispel sorrows

Examples

  • 解忧。
    Tīng yīn yuè shì jiě yōu de hǎo fāng fǎ.
    Listening to music is a good way to relieve worries.
  • ，。
    Tā hē le diǎn r jiǔ, xiǎng jiě jiě yōu.
    He drank a little alcohol, trying to relieve his worries.
  • ，。
    Péng you gēn wǒ liáo le hěn jiǔ, bāng wǒ jiě le xīn zhōng de yōu.
    My friend talked with me for a long time and helped relieve the worries in my heart.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

解jiěrelieve
忧yōuworry

解 means untie or relieve and 忧 means worry, so the word expresses relieving worries.

Characters in this word

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

解 shows 刀 (knife) separating 角 (horn) from 牛 (cow), giving the picture of cutting up an ox.

Open 解 →

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xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
尤
尤yóu忧yōu
Same sound today

The heart part 心 marks a feeling, and 尤 gives the sound.

Open 忧 →

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