Meaning
怀抱 literally means 'embrace' or 'bosom' and refers to holding someone or something in your arms. It also has a figurative meaning of cherishing hopes, dreams, or ambitions in your heart. The word combines the idea of physical holding with emotional or mental harboring.
Usage
As a noun, 怀抱 often appears in tender or poetic contexts describing a mother's embrace or someone's arms. As a verb, it's commonly used with abstract objects like 希望 (hope), 梦想 (dream), or 理想 (ideal) to express cherishing aspirations. The tone is generally literary or formal rather than colloquial.
Examples
- 01孩子扑进妈妈的怀抱里哭了起来。.The child rushed into her mother's arms and started crying.
- 02他一直怀抱着成为科学家的梦想。.He has always cherished the dream of becoming a scientist.
Characters
Common collocations
- 投入怀抱to throw oneself into someone's arms
- 怀抱希望to harbor hope
- 母亲的怀抱mother's embrace
- 怀抱梦想to cherish a dream
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters relate to holding close. 怀 contains the heart radical (心) suggesting emotional attachment, while 抱 contains the hand radical (扌) indicating physical holding. Together they create a compound expressing both physical and emotional embrace.