叹惜
tàn​xī

lament

叹 tàn sigh Simplified

Simplified form of 嘆. Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 𦰩 represents the sound.

Components

口
口 Meaning component
kǒu, kou mouth
又
又 Simplified component
yòu again

Shorthand for the 𦰩 component in the traditional character 嘆.

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Regular Modern

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical images
Academia Sinica

惜 xī pity

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 昔 represents the sound.

Components

忄
忄 Meaning component
xin, xīn heart
昔
昔 Sound component
xī, cuò in the past, ancient times

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartsjek[s]Ak regret; alas

說文解字

《說文》：“惜，痛也。从心，昔聲。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)

嘆 tàn sigh Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 𦰩 represents the sound.

Components

口
口 Meaning component
kǒu, kou mouth
𦰩
𦰩 SoundIconic component
jiān to sigh

Depicts a tortured person or criminal sighing.

Change in sound

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartthanHn̥ˤar-s sigh

說文解字

《說文》：“嘆，吞歎也。从口，歎省聲。一曰太息也。”

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)