悲 (bēi) - sorrow, grief, sadness & compassion, pity

悲Tone 1

bēi ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

傲不

悲 · bēi

sorrow, grief, sadness;

compassion, pity;

mournful, melancholy.

sorrow, grief, sadnesscompassion, pitymournful, melancholy.

Usage highlights

sadnesstragedycompassiongrieflamentjoy and sorrow

Synonyms

  • 哀— grief, mourning, lamentation
  • 伤— sad, wounded, hurt
  • 愁— worry, melancholy, anxiety

Antonyms

  • 喜— joy, happiness, delight
  • 乐— pleasure, enjoyment, laughter
  • 欢— merriment, joyousness

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He felt great sorrow (悲伤) at the news.
  • The story has a tragic ending (悲剧).
  • She expressed sympathy for the victims (悲悯).
  • The music sounded mournful (悲哀).

Collocations

  • sadness(悲伤)
  • tragedy(悲剧)
  • compassion(悲悯)
  • grief(悲哀)
  • lament(悲叹)
  • joy and sorrow(悲欢)

Idioms

  • Joy and sorrow are interwoven(悲欢离合)
  • Extreme joy begets sorrow(乐极生悲)
  • Mourn for others' woes(悲天悯人)
  • Indulge in emotion and sentimentality(悲春伤秋)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese philosophy, 悲 is one of the fundamental human emotions, often contrasted with 喜 (joy).
  • Buddhist concept of 慈悲 (compassion) combines 悲 (pity/compassion) with 慈 (kindness).
  • Traditional Chinese aesthetics values the expression of 悲 as a profound emotional experience in literature and art.

FAQ