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忝 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
忝tiǎnshame, disgrace; self-depreciationvg, 8 strokes, radical ⺗
忝tiǎnto shameunknown, 8 strokes, radical ⺗
tiǎn(tian3) T3
  1. 1shame, disgrace; self-depreciation
  2. 2to shame
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

忝tiǎn(tian3)

The character 忝 (tiǎn) conveys a sense of shame or disgrace, often reflecting self-deprecation or feelings of inadequacy. It is commonly used in contexts where someone feels unworthy or embarrassed, particularly in formal or literary expressions.

Strokes8Radical⺗
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, self-deprecation can be a virtue, as it reflects humility and respect for others. The use of 忝 in language can signify a person's understanding of their place in social hierarchies, often appearing in formal contexts like poetry or speeches.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person feeling shame (忝) while standing under a big tree (木), representing their heavy burden of disgrace. The character combines the heart radical (忄) indicating emotions, with the tree (木), suggesting the weight of their feelings is as heavy as a tree.

Meanings of 忝

tiǎn(tian3)
1shame, disgrace; self-depreciation
2to shame
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 忝

忝Simplified
8Strokes
⺗Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 忝

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Podcast: 忝

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AI Study Notes for 忝

Usage Notes

Be cautious with tone; 忝 is pronounced with a third tone (tiǎn), which can be mispronounced as a second tone. This term is more likely to be used in formal writing or speeches rather than in everyday conversation. Common collocations include phrases expressing feelings of shame or unworthiness.

HSK Study Tips

Though 忝 is not included in the HSK levels, it relates to emotional vocabulary often encountered in higher-level texts. Students should focus on understanding its nuance in expressing humility or shame, and how it can contrast with more positive attributes in advanced dialogues.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 忝 with similar-sounding characters, leading to misinterpretations. For example, using 忝 (shame) when intending to say 'pride' with a character like 荣 (róng) is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 忝

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Etymology of 忝

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

heart

Semantic (meaning)⺗
+
Phonetic (sound)天
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 忝

  1. 1The meaning half⺗ carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half天 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayheart
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 忝? 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 忝?

Decomposition of 忝

IDS Structure⿱天⺗
忝Full Character
=
天tian1
top
⺗xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 忝?

How to say shame, disgrace; self-depreciation in Chinese

“shame, disgrace; self-depreciation” in Chinese is忝tiǎn

The character 忝 (tiǎn) conveys a sense of shame or disgrace, often reflecting self-deprecation or feelings of inadequacy. It is commonly used in contexts where someone feels unworthy or embarrassed, particularly in formal or literary expressions.

When to use 忝

Be cautious with tone; 忝 is pronounced with a third tone (tiǎn), which can be mispronounced as a second tone. This term is more likely to be used in formal writing or speeches rather than in everyday conversation. Common collocations include phrases expressing feelings of shame or unworthiness.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 忝 with similar-sounding characters, leading to misinterpretations. For example, using 忝 (shame) when intending to say 'pride' with a character like 荣 (róng) is incorrect.

Write 忝

忝

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 忝

Words Containing This Character1
忝tiǎnto shame
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 忝 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 忝

The correct pronunciation is with a third tone: tiǎn.

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