About

The Chinese word 欣慰 (xīnwèi) is a compound formed by combining two characters with semantically related meanings to create a nuanced, abstract concept. The first character, 欣 (xīn), carries the core meaning of "joy", "delight", or "happiness". The second character, 慰 (wèi), means "to comfort", "to console", or "to feel relieved". When merged, they create a holistic adjective describing a specific emotional state: the feeling of comforting joy or relieved satisfaction, often experienced upon hearing good news, seeing a positive outcome after worry, or witnessing the success of a loved one. It is a paradigmatic example of a coordinating compound, where both elements contribute equally to a meaning that is more specific than either character alone.

Word Definition - 欣慰

xīn wèi to be gratified

Individual Character Details