慟 (tòng) - To grieve deeply & to be overwhelmed with sorrow

慟Tone 4

tòng ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

婷婉

慟 · tòng

To grieve deeply;

to be overwhelmed with sorrow;

extreme grief or lamentation.

To grieve deeplyto be overwhelmed with sorrowextreme grief or lamentation.

Usage highlights

Deep griefTo cry bitterlyOverwhelming sorrowGrieving deeplyHeartrending griefTo lament bitterly

Synonyms

  • 悲— sadness, sorrow
  • 哀— mourning, grief
  • 痛— pain, anguish

Antonyms

  • 喜— joy, happiness
  • 乐— pleasure, delight

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He was heartbroken with grief (悲痛慟哭).
  • The entire nation mourned deeply (举国哀慟).
  • She was overwhelmed with sorrow upon hearing the news (闻讯悲慟).
  • The poem expresses profound grief (表达深切的悲慟).

Collocations

  • Deep grief(悲慟)
  • To cry bitterly(慟哭)
  • Overwhelming sorrow(哀慟)
  • Grieving deeply(慟哀)
  • Heartrending grief(慟切)
  • To lament bitterly(慟泣)

Idioms

  • Crying one's heart out(悲慟欲绝)
  • Overwhelmed with grief(哀慟逾恒)
  • Grieving to the extreme(慟哭流涕)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used in classical Chinese literature to describe the most profound levels of grief and mourning.
  • Often appears in contexts of funeral rites and expressions of deep personal loss.
  • Carries connotations of dignified, profound sorrow rather than casual sadness.

FAQ