涙 (lèi) - Tears — the clear, salty liquid secreted by

涙Tone 4

lèi ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

涙 · lèi

Tears — the clear, salty liquid secreted by the lacrimal glands that moistens the eye and surrounding surfaces, often associated with emotion.

Tears — the clear, salty liquid secreted by

Usage highlights

Tears flowTears fallTears well upBurst into tearsWipe tearsTears of gratitude

Synonyms

  • 淚— Traditional Chinese form meaning tears
  • 泪— Simplified Chinese form meaning tears

Antonyms

  • 笑— Laughter, smile (emotional opposite)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Tears flowed down her cheeks (涙が頬を伝った).
  • He wiped away his tears (涙を拭いた).
  • It was a tearful farewell (涙の別れ).
  • She was moved to tears (感動して涙が出た).

Collocations

  • Tears flow(涙が流れる)
  • Tears fall(涙が落ちる)
  • Tears well up(涙が浮かぶ)
  • Burst into tears(涙が溢れる)
  • Wipe tears(涙を拭く)
  • Tears of gratitude(感謝の涙)

Idioms

  • Blood and tears(血と涙)
  • Tears of blood(血の涙)
  • Crocodile tears(鰐の涙)
  • Tears of remorse(悔恨の涙)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Japanese culture, 涙 is strongly associated with mono no aware — the pathos of things, a sensitivity to ephemeral beauty.
  • The character appears frequently in classical Japanese literature, particularly in poetry and drama expressing deep emotion.
  • While the character is Japanese, it derives from Chinese 淚 (lèi) meaning 'tears', though it's primarily used in Japanese contexts.

FAQ