羡 (xiàn) - To envy & to admire

羡Tone 4

xiàn ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

羡 · xiàn

To envy;

to admire;

to desire something possessed by others;

to covet;

surplus;

abundant.

To envyto admireto desire something possessed by others

Usage highlights

To envyAdmiring gazeTo covetSurplusAdmirableEnvious

Synonyms

  • 慕— to admire, to yearn for
  • 妒— to be jealous of
  • 贪— to covet, to be greedy for

Antonyms

  • 厌— to detest, to dislike
  • 弃— to abandon, to reject
  • 足— to be satisfied, content

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I envy his talent (羡慕他的才能).
  • She admired the beautiful scenery (羡景).
  • He coveted his neighbor's new car (羡车).
  • There is a surplus of goods (羡余).

Collocations

  • To envy(羡慕)
  • Admiring gaze(羡目)
  • To covet(羡求)
  • Surplus(羡余)
  • Admirable(可羡)
  • Envious(羡嫉)

Idioms

  • To cast greedy eyes upon(临渊羡鱼)
  • Envy and jealousy(羡妒交加)
  • To admire and emulate(羡而效之)
  • To covet another's success(羡人之成)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, excessive envy or coveting is often discouraged as it can lead to negative emotions and actions.
  • The character appears in classical texts discussing human desires and the moral implications of envy.
  • The concept of '羡余' (surplus) has economic connotations in historical contexts, referring to excess goods or revenue.

FAQ