赞叹

• Pinyin: zàn tàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 赞 = to commend; 叹 = 口 + 𡙁 (to sigh/exclaim in wonder)

Meaning

To exclaim in admiration; to express wonder and praise. To be moved to vocal appreciation by something impressively beautiful or extraordinary.

Slightly more spontaneous and emotionally reactive than 赞美. Implies being struck by something remarkable and giving voice to the feeling. Common in reactions to natural wonders, artistic brilliance, athletic feats, and skilled craftsmanship.

Examples

1. 游客们伫立于瀑布前，不由自主地发出阵阵赞叹，感慨大自然的鬼斧神工。 Standing before the waterfall, the tourists couldn't help exclaiming in admiration, marveling at nature's masterful workmanship.
2. 台下观众对这位年仅十二岁的小提琴少年演奏家连连赞叹，现场气氛热烈。 The audience kept exclaiming in admiration at the twelve-year-old violin prodigy, and the atmosphere was electric.
3. 评委们对这幅画的色彩运用与空间构图反复赞叹，最终一致评定为大赛金奖。 The judges repeatedly expressed their admiration for the painting's use of color and spatial composition, and unanimously awarded it the competition's gold prize.

Usage Guide

Context: art, nature, performance, discovery

Tone: admiring/spontaneous

Do Say

• 参观者步入展厅后，对馆内陈列的汉代青铜器赞叹连连，久久不忍离去。(Upon entering the exhibition hall, visitors could not stop exclaiming in admiration at the Han Dynasty bronzeware on display, and lingered for a long time unwilling to leave.)
• 建筑师看到这座历经千年仍巍然矗立的古塔后赞叹不已，称其工程智慧令现代人汗颜。(The architect marveled continuously upon seeing this ancient pagoda that has stood firm for over a thousand years, calling its engineering wisdom humbling even by modern standards.)

Don't Say

• 赞叹一声道歉 — 赞叹 is specifically for admiration and wonder; it cannot be used to introduce apologies, corrections, or neutral statements

Origin & History

赞 (to praise/commend) + 叹 (to sigh/exclaim in wonder)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal