A2 adjective Neutral 1 min read

可怜

kelian /kəˈli̯ən/

Use '可怜' to describe someone or something that evokes pity and sympathy due to misfortune.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • Expresses pity for someone or something.
  • Used for unfortunate situations or beings.
  • A common adjective for sympathy.

Overview

“可怜” (kělián) 是一个常用的汉语形容词,意为“pitiful”或“to pity”。它主要用来描述某人或某物因为遭遇不幸、处境艰难或身体状况不佳而令人产生同情、怜悯的感觉。这个词可以用来形容人,也可以用来形容事物,但更常用于形容人。

“可怜”通常用作形容词,可以直接修饰名词,也可以用在“是”、“显得”、“看起来”等系动词后面作谓语或表语。例如,“可怜的孩子” (a pitiful child),或者“他看起来很可怜” (He looks very pitiful)。它也可以单独使用,表示“令人同情”的意思,例如在感叹句中:“真可怜!” (How pitiful!)。

这个词经常出现在描述弱势群体、不幸事件或令人同情的场景中。例如,看到一个无家可归的人、一个生病的孩子、一只受伤的小动物,或者听到某人遭受了巨大的损失,我们都会用“可怜”来表达我们的感受。在文学作品、电影和日常对话中,这个词的使用非常普遍。

与“可怜”相似的词包括“同情” (tóngqíng) 和“怜悯” (liánmǐn)。“同情”更侧重于理解和分担他人的痛苦,是一种情感上的共鸣。“怜悯”则带有更强的主观色彩,有时甚至可能包含一点点居高临下的感觉,即“施舍”的同情。而“可怜”则更直接地描述了“值得同情”的状态或感觉,它本身就可以作为形容词使用,而“同情”和“怜悯”通常用作动词,表示“去同情”或“去怜悯”。例如,我们可以说“我同情他” (I sympathize with him),但不能说“我可怜他”来表示“我去同情他”的动作,而应说“他很可怜” (He is pitiful)。

Examples

1

看到那个无家可归的老人,我觉得他很可怜。

everyday

Seeing that homeless old man, I felt he was pitiful.

2

在灾难面前,人类显得如此渺小和可怜。

formal

In the face of disaster, humanity appears so small and pitiful.

3

这小猫饿坏了,可怜巴巴地望着我。

informal

The kitten was starving and looked at me pitifully.

4

尽管他取得了巨大的成功,但在个人生活中却显得有些可怜。

academic

Despite his great success, he seemed somewhat pitiful in his personal life.

Common Collocations

可怜虫 poor creature; pitiful person
可怜巴巴 pitifully; looking very pitiful
可怜之人必有可恨之处 There must be something hateful about a pitiful person (a proverb implying that people in pitiful situations often have caused their own misfortune)

Common Phrases

真可怜

What a pity; How pitiful

可怜虫

poor creature

可怜巴巴

pitifully

Often Confused With

可怜 vs 同情 (tóngqíng)

'可怜' (kělián) is an adjective describing something as pitiful. '同情' (tóngqíng) is a verb meaning 'to sympathize with' or 'to feel sympathy for'.

可怜 vs 悲惨 (bēicǎn)

'悲惨' (bēicǎn) describes a situation or life as tragic or miserable, often implying a more severe level of suffering than '可怜'. '可怜' focuses more on evoking pity.

Grammar Patterns

可怜 + 的 + 名词 (e.g., 可怜的孩子) 主语 + 显得/看起来 + 可怜 (e.g., 他看起来很可怜) 真 + 可怜! (e.g., 真可怜!)

How to Use It

Usage Notes

The word '可怜' is generally used to express sympathy. Be mindful that in certain contexts, it can sometimes sound slightly condescending, implying the speaker is in a superior position. It is more common in informal and neutral registers than in highly formal or academic writing, unless describing a tragic situation.


Common Mistakes

Confusing '可怜' as a verb meaning 'to pity' instead of an adjective meaning 'pitiful'. For example, saying '我可怜他' (I pitiful him) is incorrect; the correct way to express this is '我同情他' (I sympathize with him) or '他很可怜' (He is pitiful).

Tips

💡

Expressing Sympathy Clearly

Use '可怜' to directly convey a feeling of pity towards someone or something in a difficult situation.

⚠️

Avoid Sounding Condescending

While '可怜' expresses sympathy, be mindful of the tone. In some contexts, overuse might sound slightly condescending, implying a significant gap between the speaker and the subject.

🌍

Cultural Nuances of Pity

In Chinese culture, expressing pity often comes with a desire to help or offer support, reflecting empathy and kindness.

Word Origin

The character '可' (kě) means 'can' or 'able to', and '怜' (lián) means 'to pity' or 'to love'. Together, '可怜' literally suggests something that 'can be pitied' or 'is worthy of pity'.

Cultural Context

In Chinese culture, pity is often seen as a virtue. Expressing '可怜' is a way to show empathy and humanity, and it can sometimes be a prelude to offering help or comfort to those in need.

Memory Tip

Imagine a '可' (could) '怜' (love) bird that fell from its nest. It's so pitiful, you wish you could love and help it.

Frequently Asked Questions

4 questions

“可怜”是形容词,描述的是“值得同情”的状态。而“同情”是动词,表示“去理解和分担他人的痛苦”。你可以说“他很可怜”,也可以说“我同情他”。

“可怜”可以用在人(如孩子、老人、病人)和动物(如小猫、小狗)身上,也可以用来形容境况(如可怜的处境)。

不一定。虽然有时“可怜”可能暗示对方的弱势或不幸,但它主要是表达一种同情心。在很多情况下,它只是中性地描述一种值得怜悯的状态。

你可以说:“看到那只生病的流浪狗,我觉得它很可怜。” 或者 “他失去了所有财产,真是太可怜了。”

Test Yourself

fill blank

那只受伤的小鸟在角落里瑟瑟发抖,看起来真______。

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: b

根据句意,小鸟受伤发抖的样子让人产生同情,所以用“可怜”最合适。

multiple choice

下列哪个句子正确使用了“可怜”?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: b

选项b描述了孩子不幸的境遇,适合用“可怜”。选项a, c, d的用法不当或不清晰。

sentence building

请用“可怜”、“孩子”、“生病”组成一个句子。

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: c

选项c最自然地表达了“生病的孩子”这个状态,并用“可怜”来形容。

Score: /3

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