喟
Character Story & Explanation
喟 is most famously used in the classical phrase 喟然长叹 (kuì rán cháng tàn), meaning 'to sigh deeply and longingly', appearing in historical texts like the *Analects* (Lunyu 9.11) when Confucius sighs upon seeing ritual vessels — expressing reverence and sorrow for lost traditions. Modern usage remains literary: journalists use it to convey solemn reflection, and writers employ it in essays about social change or personal loss. You’ll find it in editorials, literary fiction, and formal speeches — never in texting or slang.
The character’s form is not pictographic but phono-semantic: left 口 indicates mouth-related action; right 聩 provides pronunciation (kuì) and historically links to 'deafness' (as in 聩, from ancient texts describing muffled hearing), though here it functions purely as a sound cue. No oracle-bone or bronze script forms survive for 喟 — it first appears reliably in Han dynasty bamboo slips as a variant of 叹.
Hi students! The character 喟 (kuì) is a beautiful, expressive word meaning 'to sigh' — not just any sigh, but one filled with deep emotion: regret, admiration, nostalgia, or awe. It’s a literary and formal verb, rarely used in casual speech, but very common in essays, classical poetry, and serious writing. Think of it as the Chinese equivalent of a Shakespearean sigh — thoughtful, weighty, and poetic.
It belongs to the 口 (kǒu, 'mouth') radical, which makes perfect sense because sighing involves breath and sound from the mouth. Its right side, 聩 (kuì), is both its phonetic component and a standalone character meaning 'deaf' — an interesting contrast! But don’t worry about that for now; focus on how 喟 conveys emotional resonance through breath, not volume.
While beginners won’t use 喟 daily in conversation, recognizing it helps you read advanced texts and appreciate Chinese literary tone. It often appears after verbs like 感叹 (gǎntàn, 'to exclaim') or in fixed phrases like 喟然长叹 (kuì rán cháng tàn). Mastering it opens doors to classical Chinese expression — where a single sigh can carry centuries of feeling.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
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