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释怀 (shì huái) — to let go of (emotional burdens), to stop dwelling on (something)

Definition

A verb meaning to finally let go of painful feelings or memories. Most often used in the negative (释不了怀) to say someone still can't move past something.

verb
to let go of (emotional burdens)to stop dwelling on (something)

Examples

  • 释怀。
    Tā zhōng yú shì huái le guò qù de tòng kǔ.
    He finally let go of the pain of the past.
  • ，。
    Duì nà jiàn shì, tā shǐ zhōng shì bù liǎo huái.
    He still can't let go of that matter.
  • 释怀。
    Shí jiān néng ràng rén shì huái yí qiè.
    Time can make people let go of everything.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

释shìrelease
怀huáibosom or mind

释 means release and 怀 means bosom or mind, so it means letting go of what burdens the mind.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 釋; 释 is its simplified writing.

  • 釆釆biànto distinguish
  • 睪睪yìto release; to see

The traditional form 釋 puts 釆 (to distinguish) beside 睪, a part that gives the sound and means “to release; to see”; the simplified 释 is a later shortened shape.

Open 释 →

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 懷; 怀 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
褱
褱huái懷huái
Same sound today

The traditional form 懷 uses 心 (heart) to show longing and 褱 for the sound; the simplified 怀 is a later shorthand.

Open 怀 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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