mến yêu
Definition
- 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.)