Definition

1. Verb:
   • To cherish / To hold dear: To feel or show great affection, tenderness, and care for someone or something. It implies a warm, enduring, and devoted love.
   • To be fond of / To have a loving affection for: To feel a deep, gentle, and often sentimental attachment.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Cha mẹ luôn mến yêu con cái vô điều kiện. (Parents always cherish their children unconditionally.)
  • Cô ấy mến yêu ngôi nhà nhỏ của mình. (She is very fond of her little house.)
  • Tôi mến yêu quê hương tôi. (I hold my homeland dear.)

Advanced Usage

• Often used in formal, literary, or emotionally resonant contexts such as poetry, letters, speeches, and songs. It carries a more profound and respectful nuance than the more common word "yêu" (to love).
  • Bài hát này dành tặng những người thầy mến yêu. (This song is dedicated to our beloved teachers.)

Variants and Related Words

• Thương yêu (v): To love and to pity; conveys love mixed with compassion and care.

  • Cô ấy thương yêu những đứa trẻ mồ côi. (She loves and pities the orphaned children.)

• Yêu mến (v): To be fond of; to have affection for. The order is reversed from "mến yêu," and it is slightly more common in everyday speech.

  • Học sinh yêu mến cô giáo. (The students are fond of their teacher.)

Synonyms

• Cherish: To protect and care for lovingly.
• Adore: To love deeply and respect highly.
• Hold dear: To regard with great affection or esteem.
• Be devoted to: To give all one's love, time, or resources to.

Related Idioms

• Mến yêu trân quý: To cherish and treasure dearly. This phrase intensifies the feeling of preciousness.
  • Tình bạn của họ được mến yêu trân quý. (Their friendship is cherished and treasured dearly.)