扼腕

èwàn
to wring one's hands (literally wring one's wrists)

CEDICT

  1. (literary) to wring one's hands (with enthusiasm, disappointment, indignation, etc.)
  2. to wring one's hands (with enthusiasm, disappointment, indignation, etc.)

Wiktionary

用手握腕，以表示内心的情绪：(1)失意的样子。《醉醒石．第一四回》：「故寒窗扼腕，静舍悲歌，便做出三上书，几叩门根柢。」(2)愤怒的样子。《战国策．燕策三》：「樊于期偏袒扼腕而进曰：『此臣之日夜切齿拊心也，乃今得闻教。』」(3)表示得意、振奋。唐．白行简《李娃传》：「扼腕顿颡而登，乃歌『白马』之词。」(4)表示同情与叹息。《文明小史．第四一回》：「人家知道他于这个小儿子锺爱特甚，见了面都着实代为扼腕。」也作「搤腕」。

重編國語辭典

Entry Composition

=1 扼 è
  1. to grip forcefully
  2. to clutch at
  3. to guard
  4. to control
  5. to hold
=1 扼 è variant of 扼 è
2 腕 wàn
  1. wrist
  2. (squid, starfish etc) arm