Understanding 眼泪 (yǎnlèi)
眼泪 literally means "tears"—the liquid that comes from your eyes when you cry. It is used in both emotional and physical contexts, such as crying from sadness, joy, or irritation.
Usage in Conversation
You will often hear 眼泪 in emotional expressions, especially when describing feelings or reactions to touching events. For example, "流眼泪" means "to shed tears." It can be used with verbs like 忍不住 (can't help) or 强忍 (hold back) to express emotional control.
Common Collocations
- 流眼泪: to shed tears, used when someone cries
- 忍不住眼泪: can't hold back tears, expressing strong emotion
- 眼泪汪汪: eyes full of tears, describing someone about to cry
Tips
眼泪 is a noun and usually appears after verbs like 流 (flow), 忍 (endure), or with adjectives describing the state of the eyes. Avoid confusing it with 哭 (to cry), which is the action of crying itself. 眼泪 focuses on the tears, not the act.
Use 眼泪 to vividly describe emotional moments in conversations or writing.