感同身受
gǎn tóng shēn shòu
to feel it as if it happened to you; to empathise
Character by character
感gǎn
feel
feel
同tóng
same as
same as
身shēn
oneself
oneself
受shòu
undergo
undergo
Example
没有当过父母的人，很难对这种担心感同身受。
People who have never been parents find it hard to really feel this kind of worry.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
Originally a formula of thanks: “I am as grateful as if the favour had been done to me.” Today it means to empathise, and is often negated: 很难感同身受.
Learn this in Lesson 85 · HSK 6–7: 共同的记忆 (Shared memories, 2003–2022)
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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