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忑 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
忑tèfearful, nervous, timidx, 7 strokes, radical 心
tè(te4) T4
  1. 1fearful, nervous, timid
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

忑tè(te4)

The character 忑 (tè) conveys a sense of fearfulness or nervousness, often used to describe someone who feels timid or anxious. It can be applied in various contexts, such as expressing apprehension before a public speaking event or the unease in uncertain situations.

Strokes7Radical心
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressing nervousness or fear is often linked to humility and modesty, reflecting a cultural tendency to downplay one's confidence in social situations. This aligns with traditional values of modest behavior.

Memory Tip

Imagine a timid person (忑) standing on a tightrope, trembling with fear (tè) as they try to cross. The radical 忄 (heart) indicates emotions, while the character's shape resembles a person unsteadily balancing.

Meanings of 忑

tè(te4)
1fearful, nervous, timid
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 忑

忑Simplified
7Strokes
心Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 忑

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Podcast: 忑

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 忑

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 忑 with similar characters like 怯 (qiè), which also means timid but has a slightly different nuance. This word is more informal and is commonly used in spoken language rather than formal writing, so be mindful of the context in which you use it.

HSK Study Tips

Although 忑 is not part of the HSK curriculum, it can help learners understand emotional expressions linked to fear or anxiety, which are common in daily conversations. Focus on recognizing this character in context and using it to describe feelings.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 忑 to describe general unease instead of specifically nervousness or fear. For instance, saying '我忑去商店' (I nervously go to the store) is incorrect; it should be '我紧张去商店' (I feel anxious going to the store).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 忑

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Etymology of 忑

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A weight under 下 the heart 心

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 忑

  1. 1The giveawayA weight under 下 the heart 心
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 忑? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 忑?

Decomposition of 忑

IDS Structure⿱下心
忑Full Character
=
下xia4
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 忑?

How to say fearful, nervous, timid in Chinese

“fearful, nervous, timid” in Chinese is忑tè

The character 忑 (tè) conveys a sense of fearfulness or nervousness, often used to describe someone who feels timid or anxious. It can be applied in various contexts, such as expressing apprehension before a public speaking event or the unease in uncertain situations.

When to use 忑

Learners often confuse 忑 with similar characters like 怯 (qiè), which also means timid but has a slightly different nuance. This word is more informal and is commonly used in spoken language rather than formal writing, so be mindful of the context in which you use it.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 忑 to describe general unease instead of specifically nervousness or fear. For instance, saying '我忑去商店' (I nervously go to the store) is incorrect; it should be '我紧张去商店' (I feel anxious going to the store).

Write 忑

忑

Practice writing 忑 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 忑

忑 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

伯莎一直忐____不安地等待着这无可避免的难熬的时刻.

Bertha had been awaiting, with great discomfort , the necessary ordeal.

Example Sentences for 忑 (2)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
伯莎一直忐忑不安地等待着这无可避免的难熬的时刻.

bó suō yī zhí tǎn tè bù ān dì děng dài zháo zhè wú kě bì miǎn de nán āo de shí kè.

Bertha had been awaiting, with great discomfort , the necessary ordeal.
2
于是他们怀着忐忑不安的心情, 穿过山楂丛,走下山坡.

yú shì tā mén huái zháo tǎn tè bù ān de xīn qíng, , chuān guò shān zhā, cóng , zǒu xià.

With beating hearts, they descended through the hawthorns.

Word Family of 忑

Words Containing This Character3
忐忑不安restless
忐忑nervous
忑tènervous
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 忐忑不安 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 忑

It generally refers to feelings of nervousness or fear, often in contexts where someone feels anxious or timid.

Jason Recommends

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Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.