DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

悵然若失

简怅然若失 · 繁悵然若失

Mandarin · pinyin chàng rán ruò shī

(idiom) to feel a profound sense of loss; to feel disconsolate

Full entryShow on map

Characters in this entry

悵: Look up this written character
然: rán · yes, certainly; pledge, promise
若: ruò · if, supposing, assuming; similar
失: shī · lose; make mistake, neglect
怅: chàng · disappointed, dissatisfied

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

Explore the spelling

Mandarin tones

4–2–4–1 · chang4 ran2 ruo4 shi1

Compare attested words with these syllables ↗

Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

4character links

Explore word families ↗Compare pronunciations ↗Open character structure ↗

Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

悵然若失 · find source passages ↗ · 怅然若失 · find source passages ↗

Explore Classical grammar ↗

Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

zoeng3 jin4 joek6 sat1

Cantonese word readings for 悵然若失. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(simile) to feel despondent; to be downhearted

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack