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March 24, 2026
悚sǒng(song3)
The character 悚 (sǒng) means to be scared or frightened. It is often used in contexts where someone experiences fear or anxiety, typically in response to something threatening or unsettling. This word conveys a deeper level of fear than just being startled.
Strokes10Radical忄Frequency#7623DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressions of fear can be tied to superstitions and ghost stories, especially during festivals like the Ghost Festival (中元节), when the spirits of the deceased are believed to return. The usage of 悚 may evoke these cultural themes.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person who hears a sudden noise in the dark and their heart starts racing (the radical '忄' suggests emotions). Visualize them screaming 'sǒng!' as they feel a chill down their spine. The character's form, with the heartbeat radical, represents their fright.
Meanings of 悚
sǒng(song3)
1scared, frightened
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 悚
悚Simplified
10Strokes
忄Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 悚
Podcast: 悚
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AI Study Notes for 悚
Quick Contrast
惧 (jù) - use 悚 (sǒng) when describing a deeper, more profound fear, while 惧 (jù) can imply a more general or lesser degree of fear.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 悚 with similar-sounding words. It is more formal and less commonly used in everyday conversation, so it may appear more in literature or formal contexts. Common collocations include 悚然 (sǒngrán), meaning 'terrified'.
HSK Study Tips
While 悚 is not an HSK word, it connects to HSK Level 5 vocabulary related to emotions and feelings. Focus on the emotional aspect of the word and practice using it in sentences about fear or anxiety.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 悚 with 害怕 (hàipà) and use it incorrectly in casual conversation. For example, saying '我很悚' (wǒ hěn sǒng) is incorrect; instead, use '我很害怕' (wǒ hěn hàipà) for 'I am very afraid.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 悚
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Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 束 represents the sound.
1The meaning half忄 carries the sense.
2The sound half束 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayheart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 悚? 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 悚?
Decomposition of 悚
IDS Structure⿰忄束
悚Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
束Shu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 悚?
How to say scared, frightened in Chinese
“scared, frightened” in Chinese is悚sǒng
The character 悚 (sǒng) means to be scared or frightened. It is often used in contexts where someone experiences fear or anxiety, typically in response to something threatening or unsettling. This word conveys a deeper level of fear than just being startled.
When to use 悚
Be careful not to confuse 悚 with similar-sounding words. It is more formal and less commonly used in everyday conversation, so it may appear more in literature or formal contexts. Common collocations include 悚然 (sǒngrán), meaning 'terrified'.
悚 or something close to it
惧 (jù) - use 悚 (sǒng) when describing a deeper, more profound fear, while 惧 (jù) can imply a more general or lesser degree of fear.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 悚 with 害怕 (hàipà) and use it incorrectly in casual conversation. For example, saying '我很悚' (wǒ hěn sǒng) is incorrect; instead, use '我很害怕' (wǒ hěn hàipà) for 'I am very afraid.'
Write 悚
悚
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Practice writing 悚 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 悚
悚 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 4
Complete the Sentence
她和那个让人毛骨____然的家伙丹尼斯还没离婚吗？
Was she still married to that creepy guy, Dennis?
Example Sentences for 悚 (6)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
她和那个让人毛骨悚然的家伙丹尼斯还没离婚吗？
tā hé nà gè ràng rén máo gǔ sǒng rán de jiā huǒ dān ní sī huán méi lí hūn ma？
Was she still married to that creepy guy, Dennis?
2
那部电影原来是部扣人心弦的惊悚片。
nà bù diàn yǐng yuán lái shì bù kòu rén xīn xián de jīng sǒng piàn。
