‘流泪’ literally means ‘to flow tears’ — combining 流 (liú, ‘to flow, to stream’) and 泪 (lèi, ‘tears’). It describes the physical act of tears welling up and running down the face, usually as a visible expression of strong emotion. Unlike the more formal or literary term 哭 (kū, ‘to cry’), which emphasizes vocalization and often implies sobbing or loud weeping, ‘流泪’ focuses on the silent, tearful response — it can occur during deep sadness, overwhelming joy, intense sympathy, or even physical irritation like cutting onions.

This verb is neutral in register and commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese. It frequently appears in descriptive narratives, personal reflections, and emotional dialogues. While it can stand alone, it’s often modified by adverbs (e.g., 不禁流泪 — ‘can’t help but shed tears’) or followed by complements indicating duration or degree (e.g., 流了很久的泪 — ‘cried for a long time’). It’s rarely used in imperative or command forms, and never as a noun without modification (e.g., *‘a流泪’ is ungrammatical).