缠绵

纏綿

chánmián

adjective #14,229

Meanings

他们缠绵地拥抱在一起。

Tāmen chánmián de yōngbào zài yīqǐ.

They embraced each other tenderly.

这首歌的旋律非常缠绵。

Zhè shǒu gē de xuánlǜ fēicháng chánmián.

The melody of this song is very lingering and tender.

usage

缠绵 can describe romantic affection or a lingering illness (缠绵病榻 = bedridden with a lingering illness). Context determines the meaning.

Literary and poetic. More common in written Chinese, songs, and novels than in everyday speech.

缠 chán

绵 mián