扼腕叹息 è wǎn tàn xī to sigh with regret

Explanation

形容极其惋惜、懊悔的心情。

Describes a feeling of deep regret and remorse.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有一位名叫李白的诗仙，年轻时才华横溢，一心想建功立业，报效国家。他四处游历，结识了不少文人墨客，也写下了许多流芳百世的诗篇。然而，由于他性格耿直，不善逢迎，屡屡受到权贵排挤，仕途不顺。年过半百，李白仍然未能实现自己的抱负，他常常独自一人，坐在窗前，抚摸着自己粗糙的双手，扼腕叹息，感慨万千。他曾经豪情万丈，意气风发，如今却只能在孤独中度过余生，这让他感到无比的遗憾和无奈。他写下了许多诗篇，表达自己心中的苦闷和不平，同时也表达了他对人生的思考和感悟。其中，最著名的莫过于《将进酒》这首诗，它以其豪迈奔放的风格，以及对人生的深刻思考，赢得了世人的一致赞赏。

huà shuō Táng cháo shíqī, yǒu yī wèi míng jiào Lǐ Bái de shī xiān, nián qīng shí cái huá héng yì, yī xīn xiǎng jiàn gōng lìyè, bào xiào guójiā. Tā sì chù yóulì, jié shí le bù shǎo wén rén mò kè, yě xiě xià le xǔ duō liú fāng bǎi shì de shī piān. Rán ér, yóu yú tā xìng gé gěng zhí, bù shàn féng yíng, lǚ lǚ shòu dào quán guì pái jǐ, shì tú bù shùn. Nián guò bàn bǎi, Lǐ Bái réng rán wèi néng shí xiàn zìjǐ de bàofù, tā cháng cháng dú zì yī rén, zuò zài chuāng qián, fǔ mō zhe zìjǐ cū cāo de shǒu, è wǎn tàn xī, gǎn kǎi wàn qiān. Tā céng jīng háo qíng wàn zhàng, yì qì fēng fā, rújīn què zhǐ néng zài gū dú zhōng dù guò yú shēng, zhè ràng tā gǎndào wú bǐ de yí hàn hé wú nài. Tā xiě xià le xǔ duō shī piān, biǎo dá zìjǐ xīn zhōng de kǔ mèn hé bù píng, tóng shí yě biǎo dá le tā duì rén shēng de sī kǎo hé gǎn wù. Qí zhōng, zuì zhùmíng de mò guò yú Jiāng Jìn Jiǔ zhè shǒu shī, tā yǐ qí háo mài bēn fàng de fēng gé, yǐ jí duì rén shēng de shēn kè sī kǎo, yíng dé le shì rén de yī zhì zàn shǎng.

It is said that during the Tang Dynasty, there was a poet named Li Bai, whose talent was extraordinary in his youth. He wanted to achieve fame and honor and serve the country. He traveled around, met many scholars, and wrote many poems that are still famous today. However, due to his upright character and inability to bend, he was repeatedly suppressed by powerful figures, and his career went poorly. At the age of more than fifty, Li Bai still had not realized his ambitions. He often sat alone at the window, touched his rough hands, and sighed with regret. He used to be full of pride and vigor, but now he had to spend his remaining years in loneliness. This filled him with endless regret and helplessness. He wrote many poems to express his inner distress and injustice, but also to reflect on his understanding of life. His most famous poem is "Jiang Jin Jiu", which, with its bold and expressive style and profound reflection on life, deserves the praise of the world.

Usage

用于表达对失去机会或未能实现目标的惋惜和懊悔。

yòng yú biǎo dá duì shī qù jī huì huò wèi néng shí xiàn mù biāo de wǎn xī hé ào huǐ

Used to express regret and remorse for missed opportunities or unachieved goals.

Examples

• 看到他如此颓废，我不禁扼腕叹息。

  kàn dào tā rúcǐ tuífèi, wǒ bù jīn è wǎn tàn xī

  Seeing him so decadent, I couldn't help but sigh with regret.

• 面对失败，他扼腕叹息，后悔莫及。

  miàn duì shībài, tā è wǎn tàn xī, hòu huǐ mò jí

  In the face of failure, he sighed and regretted.

• 改革开放后，他错失了良机，现在只能扼腕叹息了。

  gǎigé kāifàng hòu, tā cuò shī le liángjī, xiànzài zhǐ néng è wǎn tàn xī le

  After the reform and opening up, he missed a good opportunity, and now he can only sigh with regret.

Related Idioms

• 痛心疾首

• 悔恨交加

Opposite Idioms

• 沾沾自喜

• 洋洋得意