扼腕长叹 è wàn cháng tàn sigh and lament

Explanation

形容因某种原因而感到惋惜、无奈的心情。

It describes a feeling of regret and helplessness due to certain circumstances.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有个名叫李白的诗人，他胸怀大志，一心想为国家建功立业。一次，他听说边疆告急，便毅然决定奔赴战场，保家卫国。然而，他到达边关后，却被告知战事已平息。李白满怀期待而来，空怀报国之志而归，心中无比失落，不禁扼腕长叹，痛惜自己报国机会的流逝。此后，李白将这番经历融入诗作中，留下许多感慨万千的篇章，以抒发他内心的无奈与惋惜。

huà shuō táng cháo shí qī, yǒu gè míng jiào lǐ bái de shī rén, tā xiōng huái dà zhì, yī xīn xiǎng wèi guó jiā jiàn gōng lì yè. yī cì, tā tīng shuō biān jiāng gào jí, biàn yì rán jué dìng bēn fù zhàn chǎng, bǎo jiā wèi guó. rán ér, tā dào dá biān guān hòu, què bèi gào zhī zhàn shì yǐ píng xí. lǐ bái mǎn huái qī dài ér lái, kōng huái bào guó zhī zhì ér guī, xīn zhōng wú bǐ shī luò, bù jīn è wàn cháng tàn, tòng xī zì jǐ bào guó jī huì de liú shì. cǐ hòu, lǐ bái jiāng zhè fān jīng lì róng rù shī zuò zhōng, liú xià xǔ duō gǎn kǎi wàn qiān de piān zhāng, yǐ shū fā tā nèi xīn de wú nài yǔ wǎn xī.

In the Tang Dynasty, there was a poet named Li Bai, who harbored great ambitions and aspired to serve his country. Upon hearing of an urgent situation at the border, he resolutely decided to rush to the battlefield to defend his homeland. However, upon arrival, he learned that the war had already subsided. Li Bai, who had come with high hopes, returned with his patriotic aspirations unfulfilled, feeling utterly disheartened and sighing deeply, lamenting the lost opportunity to serve his country. Later, he incorporated this experience into his poetry, leaving behind many poignant works expressing his feelings of helplessness and regret.

Usage

常用于表达对某种事情的惋惜、无奈或遗憾。

cháng yòng yú biǎo dá duì mǒu zhǒng shì qing de wǎn xī, wú nài huò yí hàn

Often used to express regret, helplessness, or sorrow about something.

Examples

• 面对失败，他只能扼腕长叹。

  miàn duì shībài, tā zhǐ néng è wàn cháng tàn

  He could only sigh and lament in the face of failure.

• 看到如此景象，我不禁扼腕长叹。

  kàn dào rúcǐ jǐngxiàng, wǒ bù jīn è wàn cháng tàn

  At the sight of such a scene, I couldn't help but sigh and lament

Related Idioms

• 扼腕叹息

• 痛心疾首

Opposite Idioms

• 喜笑颜开

• 兴高采烈