A sophisticated term capturing a blend of disappointment and bewildered emptiness.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Sophisticated term for wistful loss and aimless melancholy.
- Combines feelings of disappointment with a sense of being lost.
- Commonly used in literature to describe emotional voids.
Overview
- 1概述：‘怅惘’是一个书面语色彩较浓的情感词汇，它不仅表达了悲伤，更强调了一种‘若有所失’后的迷茫和空虚感。2) 使用模式：在句子中，它常作为动词‘感到’、‘充满’或‘陷入’的宾语；也可以作为定语来修饰神情、心境等，如‘怅惘的神色’。3) 常见语境：该词多见于文学作品中，用于描写人物在经历离别、梦想破灭或面对物是人非的景象时的心理活动。它比普通的‘难过’更具诗意和深度。4) 近义词辨析：与‘惆怅’相比，‘怅惘’侧重于‘惘’（迷茫、不知所措），而‘惆怅’侧重于‘怅’（因不如意而遗憾）；与‘忧郁’相比，‘怅惘’通常是由具体事件引发的暂时性失落，而‘忧郁’更倾向于一种长期的性格特征或心境。
Examples
望着远去的列车，他心中升起一股莫名的怅惘。
everydayWatching the train disappear into the distance, an inexplicable sense of melancholy rose in his heart.
旧地重游，面对物是人非的景象，诗人不禁满怀怅惘。
formalRevisiting the old haunt and seeing that things remained while people had changed, the poet couldn't help but be filled with dejection.
他怅惘地摇了摇头，没有再说什么。
informalHe shook his head with a look of lost dejection and said no more.
这种怅惘的情绪贯穿了整部小说的始终。
academicThis sense of melancholy permeates the entire novel from beginning to end.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
心中怅惘
melancholy in one's heart
神色怅惘
a look of dejection
Often Confused With
‘惆怅’ emphasizes regret and disappointment over a specific event, while ‘怅惘’ emphasizes a sense of being lost and empty.
‘迷惘’ focuses more on confusion and not knowing what to do next, whereas ‘怅惘’ carries a heavier emotional weight of sadness.
Grammar Patterns
How to Use It
Usage Notes
‘怅惘’ is a high-register word primarily found in written Chinese and literature. It conveys a sophisticated emotional state and should be used when the context involves reflection, nostalgia, or a deep sense of loss that isn't just simple sadness.
Common Mistakes
Do not use '怅惘' to describe simple confusion about a task or physical fatigue. Also, avoid using it in very casual, slang-heavy conversations as it may sound overly dramatic or out of place.
Tips
Using it to enhance writing depth
Replace generic words like 'sad' (难过) with '怅惘' when describing a character's complex reaction to a nostalgic memory.
Avoid using for simple physical tiredness
This word is strictly for emotional and psychological states, not physical exhaustion or simple confusion.
The aesthetic of melancholy in literature
In Chinese aesthetics, expressing '怅惘' is often seen as a sign of a sensitive and refined soul, common in classical and modern prose.
Word Origin
The character '怅' (chàng) relates to regret or dissatisfaction of the heart. '惘' (wǎng) relates to being deceived or lost. Together they describe the heart's state when it loses its direction.
Cultural Context
In Chinese culture, the ability to feel and express '怅惘' is often associated with the 'literati' (文人) tradition, where sensitivity to the passing of time and the changing of seasons is highly valued.
Memory Tip
Think of the character '惘' (wǎng) which contains '罔' (net/nothingness). You feel '怅惘' when your heart feels like it's caught in a net of nothingness.
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questions‘怅’指不如意、遗憾；‘惘’指失意、迷茫。合在一起形容一种因失意而心神恍惚的状态。
可以，但显得比较文艺或正式。在非正式谈话中，人们更多使用‘失落’或‘心里空空的’。
‘迷茫’侧重于看不清前路，而‘怅惘’则包含了对过去或失去之物的怀念与遗憾。
它是一个中性偏褒的文学词汇，主要用于客观描述一种深沉的情感状态，不带批评色彩。
Test Yourself
看着老屋被拆除，他的心中充满了___。
‘怅惘’最能体现面对旧物消失时那种淡淡的失落与迷茫感。
选择正确的句子：
C项符合该词的文学语境和情感深度；A、B、D项的情境过于琐碎或不匹配。
眼神 / 他的 / 显得 / 充满 / 怅惘 / 了
‘他的眼神’是主语，‘显得’是谓语，‘充满了怅惘’是补语成分。
Score: /3
Summary
A sophisticated term capturing a blend of disappointment and bewildered emptiness.
- Sophisticated term for wistful loss and aimless melancholy.
- Combines feelings of disappointment with a sense of being lost.
- Commonly used in literature to describe emotional voids.
Using it to enhance writing depth
Replace generic words like 'sad' (难过) with '怅惘' when describing a character's complex reaction to a nostalgic memory.
Avoid using for simple physical tiredness
This word is strictly for emotional and psychological states, not physical exhaustion or simple confusion.
The aesthetic of melancholy in literature
In Chinese aesthetics, expressing '怅惘' is often seen as a sign of a sensitive and refined soul, common in classical and modern prose.
Examples
4 of 4望着远去的列车，他心中升起一股莫名的怅惘。
Watching the train disappear into the distance, an inexplicable sense of melancholy rose in his heart.
旧地重游，面对物是人非的景象，诗人不禁满怀怅惘。
Revisiting the old haunt and seeing that things remained while people had changed, the poet couldn't help but be filled with dejection.
他怅惘地摇了摇头，没有再说什么。
He shook his head with a look of lost dejection and said no more.
这种怅惘的情绪贯穿了整部小说的始终。
This sense of melancholy permeates the entire novel from beginning to end.
Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
Related Vocabulary
More emotions words
有点
A1A little; somewhat; rather.
可恶
A2Hateful; detestable; abominable.
心不在焉
A2Absent-minded; preoccupied.
接受地
A2Acceptingly; receptively.
成就感
B1Sense of achievement; fulfillment.
撒娇
A2To act like a spoiled child; to act cute.
上瘾
B1To be addicted to something.
沉迷
A2To be addicted to; to be engrossed in.
敬佩
B1Admiration; respect; reverence.
佩服
B1To admire; to respect.
