Meaning
慷 is a character that rarely appears alone in modern Mandarin. It primarily functions as a component in compound words, most notably 慷慨 (kāngkǎi), meaning 'generous' or 'vehement'. The character itself carries connotations of emotional intensity, generosity, and passionate expression.
Usage
In contemporary Chinese, 慷 is almost never used independently. Native speakers recognize it as part of 慷慨 (generous/impassioned) or 慷慨激昂 (fervent and impassioned). When encountered alone, it would be understood only in classical or literary contexts.
Examples
- 01他慷慨地捐出了自己的积蓄帮助灾民。.He generously donated his savings to help the disaster victims.
- 02演讲者慷慨激昂地陈述了自己的观点。' .The speaker passionately and fervently stated his viewpoint.
Common collocations
- 慷慨解囊to generously give money
- 慷慨激昂'fervent and impassioned
- 慷慨赴义to heroically sacrifice oneself for righteousness
Antonyms
Origin
慷 is composed of the heart radical 忄(xīn) on the left, indicating emotional content, and 康 (kāng) on the right as the phonetic component. This structure reflects the character's meaning of emotional generosity or passionate feeling.