悲痛

• Pinyin: bēi tòng
• Hanzi breakdown: 悲 = 非 (not) + 心 (heart); 痛 = 疒 (illness) + 甬 (phonetic)

Meaning

Grief-stricken; deeply sorrowful. Intense emotional pain from loss.

Describes profound grief, typically associated with death, major loss, or tragedy. Stronger than 悲哀 or 难过. Often used in formal contexts such as obituaries, eulogies, or news about tragedies.

Examples

1. 听到父亲去世的消息，她悲痛欲绝。 Upon hearing the news of her father's death, she was overcome with grief.
2. 全国人民为地震中遇难的同胞感到悲痛。 The entire nation mourns for the compatriots who perished in the earthquake.
3. 他强忍悲痛，在葬礼上致悼词。 He held back his grief to deliver the eulogy at the funeral.

Usage Guide

Context: death, tragedy, mourning

Tone: solemn

Do Say

• 我们对此深表悲痛。(We express our deepest grief.)
• 她沉浸在悲痛之中。(She is immersed in grief.)

Don't Say

• 对小损失说'悲痛' (Don't use 悲痛 for minor losses — it's reserved for profound grief)

Origin & History

悲 (sad) + 痛 (pain). Sadness that causes actual pain.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal