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

淚Tone 4

lèi ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

淚 · lèi

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

Tears — the clear, salty liquid secreted by

Usage highlights

TearsTears streaming downMoved to tearsTearful eyesBlood and tearsTear stains

Synonyms

  • 泪— tears (simplified form)
  • 眼泪— tears (common compound)

Antonyms

  • 笑— laugh, smile
  • 喜— joy, happiness

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Tears flowed down her cheeks (眼泪).
  • He wiped away his tears (擦去泪水).
  • The sad movie brought tears to my eyes (催人泪下).
  • A single tear fell (一滴泪).

Collocations

  • Tears(泪水)
  • Tears streaming down(泪流满面)
  • Moved to tears(感动落泪)
  • Tearful eyes(泪眼)
  • Blood and tears(血泪)
  • Tear stains(泪痕)

Idioms

  • Tears like rain(泪如雨下)
  • Tears soaking one's sleeves(泪湿青衫)
  • Old tears for new grief(新愁旧泪)
  • Tears of blood(血泪斑斑)
  • Unable to hold back tears(忍泪含悲)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese poetry and literature, tears are a common motif expressing sorrow, longing, or deep emotion.
  • The character 淚 is the traditional form of 泪, both meaning 'tears' and sharing the water radical (氵/氺).
  • Tears are often metaphorically linked to pearls, rain, or rivers in classical Chinese texts.

FAQ