Meaning
慈 describes a warm, loving kindness especially associated with parental love or benevolent care from elders toward younger generations. It conveys deep affection combined with gentle, nurturing care. The character appears frequently in compounds related to maternal love and Buddhist compassion.
Usage
慈 is somewhat formal and literary, most commonly appearing in set compounds rather than alone. The most frequent usage is 慈祥 (kind and amiable) to describe elderly people, and 慈善 (charitable). It strongly collocates with 母 (mother) in 慈母 (loving mother) and appears in Buddhist contexts referring to compassion.
Examples
- 01她有一张慈祥的面孔，让人感到温暖。, .She has a kindly face that makes people feel warm.
- 02他的母亲是一位慈爱的女性，对孩子们关怀备至。, .His mother is a loving woman who cares for her children with great attentiveness.
Common collocations
- 慈母loving mother
- 慈父loving father
- 慈爱affectionate, loving
- 大慈大悲infinitely compassionate and merciful
Antonyms
Origin
The character 慈 combines 茲 (this, abundant) as the phonetic component with 心 (heart) at the bottom, suggesting abundant kindness from the heart. It originally emphasized parental love and care.