嘆 (tàn) - To sigh & to lament

嘆Tone 4

tàn ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

檀婷

嘆 · tàn

To sigh;

to lament;

to exclaim in admiration;

to praise.

To sighto lamentto exclaim in admiration

Usage highlights

To sighTo lamentTo exclaim in admirationTo praiseTo sigh with emotionA sigh of relief

Synonyms

  • 歎— Variant form with same meaning
  • 息— To sigh (as in 嘆息)
  • 惋— To sigh with regret

Antonyms

  • 笑— To laugh
  • 喜— To rejoice

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He sighed deeply (深深嘆息).
  • I lament the state of the world (嘆世).
  • The audience exclaimed in admiration at the performance (觀眾為表演驚嘆).
  • She praised his talent (她讚嘆他的才華).

Collocations

  • To sigh(嘆息)
  • To lament(悲嘆)
  • To exclaim in admiration(驚嘆)
  • To praise(讚嘆)
  • To sigh with emotion(感嘆)
  • A sigh of relief(鬆一口氣地嘆)

Idioms

  • To sigh with admiration(嘆為觀止)
  • To sigh over one's lot(望洋興嘆)
  • To sigh with regret(長吁短嘆)
  • Sighing at the shortness of life(嘆老嗟卑)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character reflects a deep emotional response, often connected to Confucian and Daoist reflections on life's transience.
  • Used in classical poetry and literature to express melancholy, admiration, or philosophical resignation.
  • The mouth radical (口) indicates this is an expression made with the mouth.

FAQ