百感交集

bǎigǎn-jiāojí

idiom #32,553

Meanings

回到阔别二十年的故乡，他百感交集。

Huídào kuòbié èrshí nián de gùxiāng, tā bǎigǎn-jiāojí.

Returning to his hometown after twenty years apart, he was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

看到老照片，她百感交集，久久不能平静。

Kàndào lǎo zhàopiàn, tā bǎigǎn-jiāojí, jiǔjiǔ bùnéng píngjìng.

Seeing the old photos, she was flooded with emotions and couldn't calm down for a long time.

history

From 《世说新语·言语》 (Southern Song, 5th c.): 见此茫茫，不觉百端交集 - "seeing this vast scene, a hundred feelings involuntarily converge." 百端 later became 百感.

usage

Usually describes a moment of reunion, loss, or dramatic change. The emotions are mixed - not purely happy or sad.

百 bǎi

感 gǎn

交 jiāo

集 jí