缠绵悱恻
chán mián fěi cè
(of a story, poem or tune) full of lingering, tender sorrow
Character by character
缠chán
entwined
entwined
绵mián
lingering
lingering
悱fěi
pent-up
pent-up
恻cè
sorrow
sorrow
Example
这部小说写的是一段缠绵悱恻的爱情，很多读者看哭了。
The novel tells of a love full of lingering sorrow, and it has reduced many readers to tears.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
Literary; for love stories, poems, films and melodies: 缠绵悱恻的爱情故事, 曲调缠绵悱恻. Usually admiring, but in a review it can hint that something is too sentimental.
Learn this in Lesson 243 · HSK 9+: 从周璇到邓丽君 (From Zhou Xuan to Teresa Teng)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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