At the farewell ceremony, the family members were overcome with tears.
Tips
history
Traced to 《吴越春秋·越王无余外传》: 尽夜哭泣，气不属声 — weeping day and night until the breath could no longer form sound. Pure overwhelming grief.
usage
Strong emotional register — reserved for serious grief (bereavement, disaster, heartbreak). Not for minor sadness. Typically follows a trigger event: subject + trigger + 泣不成声.
