āidào: 哀悼 - To Mourn, Grieve, Lament

• Keywords: 哀悼, aidou, aidao, Chinese word for mourn, grieve in Chinese, how to say mourn in Chinese, lament, condolences in Chinese, Chinese funeral customs, formal grief, public mourning, HSK 6 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the meaning and use of 哀悼 (āidào), the formal Chinese word for “to mourn” or “grieve.” This guide explores its cultural significance in showing respect for the dead, its use in official news and public ceremonies, and how it differs from casual words for sadness. Through character breakdowns and practical examples, you'll understand when and how to use this solemn and important term.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): āidào
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To grieve or mourn over a death in a formal or public manner.
• In a Nutshell: 哀悼 (āidào) is not your everyday word for sadness. It's a heavy, formal term used specifically for mourning the dead. Think of national days of mourning, formal obituaries, or the deep, respectful grief shown for a major public figure. It conveys a sense of collective, solemn remembrance rather than just personal sadness.

• 哀 (āi): This character signifies sorrow or grief. The top part originally depicted a person with disheveled hair and mourning clothes, while the bottom part is 口 (kǒu), the character for “mouth.” Together, it paints a picture of someone wailing or crying out in grief.
• 悼 (dào): This character also means to mourn. It is composed of the heart radical 忄(xīn) on the left, indicating it's a deep emotion felt in the heart. The right side, 卓 (zhuó), primarily provides the sound.
• The combination of 哀 (outward expression of grief) and 悼 (inner feeling of sorrow) creates a powerful, comprehensive term for the profound act of mourning.

In Chinese culture, mourning is often a structured, collective, and public affair, deeply tied to the value of showing respect (尊敬, zūnjìng) for the deceased, elders, and ancestors. 哀悼 (āidào) perfectly captures this formality. While in Western culture, “mourning” can be a very private and personal process, 哀悼 almost always implies a more public or ritualistic context. It's the word used when a nation mourns a leader, when a community remembers victims of a disaster, or when a company formally honors its late founder. It reflects a societal value where shared grief and collective remembrance are important ways to process loss and show respect. You wouldn't typically use 哀悼 for private, quiet grief among close family, where simpler words like 难过 (nánguò) or 悲伤 (bēishāng) would be more common. The act of 哀悼 is a formal acknowledgement of a life's significance.

哀悼 is almost exclusively used in formal situations. Its usage is serious and carries significant emotional weight.

• Official Announcements and News: This is the most common context. News reports about the death of a political leader, a famous artist, or victims of a natural disaster will use 哀悼.
• Funerals and Memorials: The term is frequently seen on banners at funeral services (葬礼, zànglǐ) and memorial meetings (追悼会, zhuīdàohuì), often in the phrase 沉痛哀悼 (chéntòng āidào), meaning “to mourn with deep sorrow.”
• Historical Commemorations: It's used when remembering historical tragedies, such as the Nanjing Massacre.
• Formal Condolences: In a formal letter or speech of condolence, 哀悼 is the appropriate word to express deep sympathy for someone's passing.

It is not used in casual conversation. Telling a friend “I'm mourning my goldfish” using 哀悼 would sound bizarre and overly dramatic.

• Example 1:
  • 全国人民都在哀悼这位伟大的科学家。
  • Pinyin: Quánguó rénmín dōu zài āidào zhè wèi wěidà de kēxuéjiā.
  • English: The people of the whole country are mourning this great scientist.
  • Analysis: This shows the collective, public nature of 哀悼. It's used for a figure of national importance.
• Example 2:
  • 我们为在地震中逝去的人们举行了哀悼仪式。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen wèi zài dìzhèn zhōng shìqù de rénmen jǔxíng le āidào yíshì.
  • English: We held a mourning ceremony for the people who passed away in the earthquake.
  • Analysis: Here, 哀悼 is part of a compound noun, 哀悼仪式 (āidào yíshì), a “mourning ceremony,” highlighting its connection to formal ritual.
• Example 3:
  • 听到这个不幸的消息，我们表示沉痛的哀悼。
  • Pinyin: Tīngdào zhège bùxìng de xiāoxi, wǒmen biǎoshì chéntòng de āidào.
  • English: Upon hearing this sad news, we express our deepest condolences.
  • Analysis: The phrase 沉痛的哀悼 (chéntòng de āidào) is a very common and formal way to offer condolences, similar to saying “deepest sympathies.”
• Example 4:
  • 联合国降半旗以哀悼已故的秘书长。
  • Pinyin: Liánhéguó jiàng bàn qí yǐ āidào yǐ gù de mìshūzhǎng.
  • English: The United Nations lowered its flag to half-mast to mourn the late Secretary-General.
  • Analysis: This sentence demonstrates an official, symbolic act of mourning. The structure 以 (yǐ) + verb means “in order to” or “as a means of.”
• Example 5:
  • 在追悼会上，他发表了感人的哀悼词。
  • Pinyin: Zài zhuīdàohuì shàng, tā fābiǎo le gǎnrén de āidào cí.
  • English: At the memorial service, he delivered a moving eulogy.
  • Analysis: A 哀悼词 (āidào cí) is a eulogy or a speech of mourning, reinforcing the term's connection to formal speech acts.
• Example 6:
  • 许多人自发来到广场，哀悼在火灾中牺牲的消防员。
  • Pinyin: Xǔduō rén zìfā láidào guǎngchǎng, āidào zài huǒzāi zhōng xīshēng de xiāofángyuán.
  • English: Many people spontaneously came to the square to mourn the firefighters who sacrificed their lives in the fire.
  • Analysis: Even a spontaneous gathering can be described with 哀悼 if its purpose is a public and solemn remembrance of heroes.
• Example 7:
  • 这一天被定为全国哀悼日。
  • Pinyin: Zhè yī tiān bèi dìng wèi quánguó āidào rì.
  • English: This day was designated as a national day of mourning.
  • Analysis: 哀悼日 (āidào rì), “day of mourning,” is an official term used by governments.
• Example 8:
  • 他的作品充满了对一个逝去时代的哀悼。
  • Pinyin: Tā de zuòpǐn chōngmǎn le duì yí ge shìqù shídài de āidào.
  • English: His work is filled with a lament for a bygone era.
  • Analysis: This shows a more literary or abstract use of 哀悼. It's not mourning a person, but lamenting the “death” of an era, which is still a profound and serious loss.
• Example 9:
  • 全场起立，为遇难者默哀一分钟。
  • Pinyin: Quánchǎng qǐlì, wèi yùnànzhě mò'āi yī fēnzhōng.
  • English: Everyone stood up and observed one minute of silence for the victims.
  • Analysis: This example uses a related term, 默哀 (mò'āi), which literally means “silent grief.” It's a specific action of mourning that is very common in Chinese public ceremonies. Note the shared character 哀.
• Example 10:
  • 公司网站的首页变成了黑白色，以哀悼创始人的离世。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī wǎngzhàn de shǒuyè biànchéng le hēibáisè, yǐ āidào chuàngshǐrén de líshì.
  • English: The company website's homepage was changed to black and white to mourn the passing of the founder.
  • Analysis: This shows a modern, digital act of public mourning, demonstrating how this formal concept applies even in contemporary contexts.

• Mistake 1: Using 哀悼 for personal, everyday sadness.
  • Incorrect: 我的猫丢了，我很哀悼。 (Wǒ de māo diū le, wǒ hěn āidào.)
  • Reason: This is far too formal and dramatic. 哀悼 is for death, usually of a person, and in a solemn context.
  • Correct: 我的猫丢了，我很难过。 (Wǒ de māo diū le, wǒ hěn nánguò.) or 我很伤心 (wǒ hěn shāngxīn).
• False Friend: “To mourn” vs. 哀悼
  • While 哀悼 translates to “to mourn,” it doesn't cover the full range of the English word. An English speaker might say “I'm still mourning my grandmother a year later,” referring to a private, ongoing feeling. In Chinese, you would more likely describe that feeling with words like 思念 (sīniàn - to miss, to long for) or 悲伤 (bēishāng - sorrowful). 哀悼 refers more to the formal act or state of mourning, often closer to the time of death or during official remembrances.
• Nuance: 哀悼 (āidào) vs. 悼念 (dàoniàn)
  • These two are very similar and often interchangeable, but there's a subtle difference. 哀悼 (with 哀 - grief) focuses more on the sorrow and grief for the loss. 悼念 (with 念 - to think of/miss) focuses more on commemorating and cherishing the memory of the deceased. You might 哀悼 someone in the immediate aftermath of their death and then 悼念 them on the anniversary of their passing.

• 悼念 (dàoniàn) - To commemorate or mourn the dead, with an emphasis on remembering and cherishing their memory.
• 默哀 (mò'āi) - To observe a moment of silence in tribute to the dead.
• 追悼会 (zhuīdàohuì) - A memorial service or meeting.
• 悲伤 (bēishāng) - A general and strong word for “sorrowful” or “grieved.” Less formal than 哀悼.
• 难过 (nánguò) - A very common word for “sad” or “upset,” used for any reason, not just death.
• 伤心 (shāngxīn) - “Sad” or “broken-hearted.” A common emotional term.
• 逝世 (shìshì) - A formal and respectful verb meaning “to pass away,” often used in the same contexts as 哀悼.
• 葬礼 (zànglǐ) - Funeral; burial ceremony.
• 沉痛 (chéntòng) - Deeply painful, grievous. Often used as an adverb to describe 哀悼, as in 沉痛哀悼.
• 节哀 (jié'āi) - A phrase used to console someone who is grieving, meaning “restrain your grief” or “my condolences.” The full phrase is 节哀顺变 (jié'āi shùnbiàn).