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谈情说爱 (tán qíng shuō ài) — to court; to discuss romantic feelings; to be in love

Definition

An idiom meaning to be in love or court romantically. Lighter and more literary than a plain '谈恋爱', with a romantic, somewhat old-fashioned flavor.

idiom
to courtto discuss romantic feelingsto be in love

Examples

  • 谈情说爱，。
    Tā men zhèng zài tán qíng shuō ài, gǎn qíng hěn hǎo.
    They are in a romantic relationship, and their feelings are strong.
  • 谈情说爱。
    Nián qīng rén xǐ huan zài gōng yuán lǐ tán qíng shuō ài.
    Young people enjoy courting in the park.
  • 谈情说爱。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng jiǎng de shì liǎng gè nián qīng rén tán qíng shuō ài de gù shi.
    This movie is about the story of two young people falling in love.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

谈情talk feelings
谈tántalk情qíngfeelings
动宾Verb + object
说爱speak love
说shuōspeak爱àilove
动宾Verb + object

谈情 (talk feelings) and 说爱 (speak love) together describe courting.

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 談; 谈 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
炎
炎yán談tán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 谈, the traditional form 談 pairs 言 (speech) with 炎 (yán) as the sound part.

Open 谈 →

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 →

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 說; 说 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
兌
兌duì說shuō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 說 pairs 言 (meaning) with 兌 (sound); the simplified 说 is not the form described here.

Open 说 →

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 愛; 爱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
旡
旡jì愛ài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 愛, an older shape paired 心 (heart) with 旡 as its sound part; later a foot-like 夊 was added below. The simplified 爱 is a later variant that replaces the lower part with 友.

Open 爱 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesRomance & Marriage

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