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感慨万千

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: gǎn kǎi wàn qiān
  • English Translation: A flood of emotions (deeply moved by a multitude of feelings)
  • Idiom Composition: To feel or be moved emotionally.To sigh or lament; to feel deeply.Ten thousand (used metaphorically to mean 'countless').Thousand (used metaphorically to mean 'numerous').
  • Meaning: To be overwhelmed by a vast array of emotions when reflecting on the past or witnessing significant changes. It describes a state where one's heart is filled with complex, often bittersweet feelings that are difficult to express in words.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

感慨万千 contains the following nuances:

  • Emotional Complexity: Unlike simple joy or sadness, this idiom refers to a 'multitude' (万千 - wàn qiān) of mixed feelings, including nostalgia, regret, and appreciation, all occurring at once.
  • Response to Change: The emotion is usually triggered by a sharp contrast between 'then' and 'now,' highlighting the weight of time and the transformation of people or places.

3. Usage

感慨万千 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Reminiscence and Reunions: Most frequently used when visiting a place after a long absence or reuniting with people after many years, where the passage of time triggers deep emotion.
    • Example:回到阔别已久的故乡,看着儿时的街道,我不禁感慨万千
      Returning to my long-lost hometown and looking at the streets of my childhood, I couldn't help but feel a flood of emotions.)
  • Reflecting on Life or History: Used when looking back at major life milestones or historical shifts, emphasizing the magnitude of change.
    • Example:看着老照片里的自己,想起这几十年的风风雨雨,爷爷感慨万千
      Looking at his younger self in the old photos and remembering the ups and downs of the past decades, Grandpa was deeply moved by a multitude of feelings.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 站在长城上,想起古代劳动人民的智慧,真是让人感慨万千
    Standing on the Great Wall (长城) and thinking of the wisdom of the ancient laborers, one is truly overwhelmed by a flood of emotions.
  2. 老同学聚会时,大家谈起往事,都觉得感慨万千
    When old classmates gathered and talked about the past, everyone felt deeply moved by a multitude of emotions.
  3. 这部纪录片讲述了城市百年的变迁,令人看后感慨万千
    This documentary depicts a century of urban change, leaving viewers deeply moved by a flood of feelings.

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • The phrase 万千 (wàn qiān), literally 'ten thousand and a thousand,' is a common Chinese linguistic device used to represent an infinite or immeasurable quantity rather than a literal count.
  • While English speakers might say they are 'overwhelmed' or 'deeply moved,' 感慨万千 (gǎn kǎi wàn qiān) carries a specific nuance of 'sighing' (慨 - kǎi) over the impermanence of life, a concept deeply rooted in Chinese philosophical reflections on history and time.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

感慨万千 (gǎn kǎi wàn qiān) is a powerful idiom used to describe the surge of complex emotions experienced during moments of deep reflection, such as returning to a childhood home or witnessing the passage of time. It captures a 'multitude' of feelings—nostalgia, joy, and sadness—intertwined, making it a common choice for formal speeches, literature, and heartfelt reflections.

Idiom Essay

gǎn kǎi wàn qiān
感慨万千
A Myriad of Emotions
shēng huó生活zhōngzǒngyǒuyī xiē一些shí kè时刻huìràngréndexīn lǐ心里biàn dé变得hěnyōng jǐ拥挤

In life, there are always moments that make one's heart feel very "crowded."

bǐ rú比如huí dào回到lexiǎo shí hòu小时候zhùguòdelǎofáng zi房子fā xiàn发现nà lǐ那里dejiē dào街道biànkuānleshú xī熟悉deshùbú jiàn le不见了huò zhě或者ǒu rán偶然fāndàoleyī zhāng一张èr shí nián qián二十年前delǎozhào piān照片kànzhenà shí那时dezì jǐ自己tū rán突然yì shí dào意识到shí jiān时间guòzhè me这么kuài

For example, you return to the old house where you lived as a child and find the streets have widened and the familiar trees are gone; or you happen to flip through an old photo from twenty years ago, look at yourself then, and suddenly realize how fast time has passed.

yī shùn jiān一瞬间hěn nán shuō很难说qīng chǔ清楚zì jǐ自己dào dǐ到底shìkāi xīn开心hái shì还是nán guò难过

In that instant, it is hard to say clearly whether you are happy or sad.

hǎo xiàng好像yǒuhěn duō很多huàxiǎngshuōyǒuhěn duō很多huí yì回忆yǒngshàng lái上来zuì hòu最后quèzhǐ néng只能cháng cháng长长tànyì kǒu qì一口气

It feels as if there are many things to say and many memories rushing up, but in the end, you can only let out a long sigh.

zhōng wén中文yǒuyí gè一个chéng yǔ成语zhuān mén专门yòng lái用来xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种hòu zhòng厚重dexīn qíng心情jiàogǎn kǎi wàn qiān感慨万千

In Chinese, there is an idiom specifically used to describe this heavy mood, called 感慨万千.

zhè ge这个dezì miàn字面yì si意思hěnyǒuhuà miàn gǎn画面感

The literal meaning of this word is very vivid.

gǎn kǎi感慨shìxīn lǐ心里dechù dòng触动tàn xī叹息érwàn qiān万千xíng róng形容deshìshù liàng数量jí duō极多

感慨 refers to the stirring and sighing in one's heart, while 万千 describes an extremely large quantity.

shìzàigào sù告诉cǐ kè此刻xīn lǐ心里degǎn shòu感受bú shì不是yī zhǒng一种bú shì不是liǎng zhǒng两种ér shì而是chéng qiān shàng wàn成千上万zhǒngqíng xù情绪jiāo zhī交织zàiyì qǐ一起

It is telling you: the feelings in your heart at this moment are not just one or two kinds, but thousands of emotions intertwined.

wǒ men我们tōng cháng通常zàishén me shí hòu什么时候huìgǎn dào感到gǎn kǎi wàn qiān感慨万千ne

When do we usually feel 感慨万千?

wǎng wǎng往往shìzàimiàn duì面对jù dà巨大debiàn huà变化liú shì流逝deshí jiān时间deshí hòu时候

It is often when facing "huge changes" and the "passage of time."

bú shì不是yòng lái用来xíng róng形容zuó tiān昨天diūleyī zhī一支nà zhǒng那种xiǎo xiǎo小小deyí hàn遗憾

It is not used to describe a small regret like losing a pen yesterday.

gèngduōshìyòng lái用来miàn duì面对suì yuè岁月de

It is more about facing the years.

dāngkàn dào看到céng jīng曾经nián qīng年轻depéng yǒu朋友biàn lǎo变老ledāngkàn dào看到céng jīng曾经huāng liáng荒凉dedì fāng地方biàn dé变得fán huá繁华lehuò zhě或者dāngzhōng yú终于wán chéng完成lenián qīng年轻shídeyí gè一个mèng xiǎng梦想huí tóu回头kànzhèyī lù一路zǒu lái走来deróng yì容易

When you see a once-young friend grow old; when you see a once-desolate place become prosperous; or when you finally fulfill a dream from your youth and look back at the hardships along the way.

zhè shí hòu这时候guò qù过去xiàn zài现在chóng dié重叠zàileyì qǐ一起

At this time, the past and the present overlap.

kàn dào看到ledé dào得到dekàn dào看到leshī qù失去de

You see both what has been gained and what has been lost.

zhè zhǒng这种zī wèi滋味tàifù zá复杂leméi yǒu没有bàn fǎ办法yòngjiǎn dān简单degāo xìng高兴huòbēi shāng悲伤láigài kuò概括

This taste is too complex to be summarized by simple "happiness" or "sadness."

suǒ yǐ所以gǎn kǎi wàn qiān感慨万千qí shí其实shìyí gè一个shǔ yú属于chéng nián rén成年人de

Therefore, 感慨万千 is actually a word that belongs to adults.

dài biǎo代表leyī zhǒng一种chéng shú成熟deshì jiǎo视角

It represents a mature perspective.

bù zài不再fēi yào非要fēn qīng分清hǎo huài好坏ér shì而是ān jìng安静chéng rèn承认shí jiān时间gǎi biàn改变leyī qiè一切érwǒ men我们jiùzàizhèjù dà巨大debiàn huà变化zhōngshēn shēn深深gǎn shòu感受zheshēng huó生活defèn liàng分量

It no longer insists on distinguishing between good and bad, but quietly acknowledges: time changes everything, and we, amidst these huge changes, deeply feel the weight of life.

xià cì下次dāngmiàn duì面对yī duàn一段cháng cháng长长dehuí yì回忆xīn lǐ心里wǔ wèi zá chén五味杂陈quèzhī dào知道gāicóngshuō qǐ说起shíyònggǎn kǎi wàn qiān感慨万千zhè ge这个yě xǔ也许zuìnéngdài biǎo代表nà yī kè那一刻dechén mò沉默shēn chén深沉

Next time, when you face a long stretch of memories and your heart is filled with mixed feelings but you don't know where to start, using the word 感慨万千 might best represent the silence and depth of that moment.

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