感激涕零
gǎn jī tì líng
so grateful as to be moved to tears
Character by character
感gǎn
feel
feel
激jī
stirred
stirred
涕tì
tears
tears
零líng
fall
fall
Example
老人找回了丢失的存折，拉着民警的手感激涕零。
When the old man got his lost savings book back, he clasped the policeman’s hand, weeping with gratitude.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
Bookish; 涕 is classical “tears” (today it means nasal mucus). Sincere in writing, but in speech often ironic about a small favour: 给我涨了一百块工资，我是不是该感激涕零？
Learn this in Lesson 157 · HSK 7–9: 器官捐献 (Organ donation)
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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