About
The character for compassion, "悯", exists as a simplified form whose traditional counterpart is "憫", a construction that visually combines the heart radical (心) with the component "門", meaning gate. This structure suggests an emotional state where the heart is, in a sense, closed off or burdened, originally conveying a meaning of sorrow, grief, or distress felt within oneself. Over the centuries, this inward-facing connotation of personal sadness gradually shifted outward, emphasizing the sympathetic understanding of another's suffering, thus solidifying its modern sense of pity and compassion. The simplified form replaced the complex "門" with "文", but retained the essential heart radical, preserving the core link to human emotion while altering the phonetic and symbolic suggestion of the original character.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他常常怜悯他人。
我怜悯那些无家可归的人。
她怜悯小狗并带它回家。
我们应当悯恤老人的困难。
你不该怜悯欺骗你的人。
为什么他总是怜悯失败者？
看到灾民的苦难，他心生怜悯。
尽管自己也不富裕，她仍悯恤那些更不幸的人，并尽力帮助他们。