Chinese word

怀旧

Pronunciation

Pinyinhuái jiù

Meaning

  • adjectivenostalgic

Example

他每次看到老照片都会觉得怀旧。tā měi cì kàn dào lǎo zhào piān dū huì jué de huái jiù

Every time he sees old photos, he feels nostalgic.

Illustration for 怀旧 (nostalgic)

More examples

电视台播放老节目片段时，观众常常感到怀旧。diàn shì tái bō fàng lǎo jié mù piàn duàn shí guān zhòng cháng cháng gǎn dào huái jiù

When TV stations broadcast clips from old programs, viewers often feel nostalgic.

Core concept

The past feels emotionally near again, with affection softened by the knowledge that it is gone.

Common phrases

  • 怀旧情绪huái jiù qíng xù

    nostalgic feelings

  • 怀旧心情huái jiù xīn qíng

    nostalgic mood

  • 怀旧氛围huái jiù fēn wéi

    nostalgic atmosphere

Similar words

念旧niàn jiù: Fond of old things, familiar customs, and past ways of life.
伤感shāng gǎn: Feeling sad and emotionally tender, often with a heavy heart.
惆怅chóu chàng: Feeling vaguely lonely, troubled, and unable to feel fully at ease.

Definition in Chinese

对过去的人或事怀有温暖或惆怅的回忆与眷恋，常带有感伤成分。duì guò qù de rén huò shì huái yǒu wēn nuǎn huò chóu chàng de huí yì yǔ juàn liàn cháng dài yǒu gǎn shāng chéng fèn

Word origin

The compound 怀旧 (huáijiù, "nostalgic") joins 怀 (huái, "to cherish or hold") and 旧 (jiù, "the old or former"), creating the idea of holding earlier times close.

Usage tips

  • In Chinese, this word readily describes media, design, and places that evoke an earlier time, not only a person's reaction to a memory.

Opposites

Related words

  • 怀旧感huái jiù gǎnnostalgianoun
  • 怀旧主义huái jiù zhǔ yìnostalgismnoun

Word lists with this word