Meanings of 惻
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About 惻
Podcast: 惻
Podcast: 惻
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AI Study Notes for 惻
惋 (wǎn) - use 惻 (cè) when emphasizing deep sympathy or anguish, while 惋 (wǎn) conveys a sense of regret or sorrow.
When using 惻, it's important to pair it with contexts of emotional depth or literature, as it's less suitable for casual conversation. Be cautious with similar-sounding words like 厕 (cè, toilet) to avoid confusion. Common collocations include 惻隐之心 (cè yǐn zhī xīn), meaning 'the heart of sympathy'.
As 惻 is not included in HSK levels, focus on understanding its emotional depth and context rather than memorization. It connects to other words expressing feelings, such as 悲 (bēi, sorrow) and 同情 (tóngqíng, sympathy), enhancing your emotional vocabulary.
Learners often confuse 惻 with similar-sounding words, leading to phrases like 惻情 (cè qíng), which is incorrect. The correct usage would be 惻隐 (cè yǐn) to convey sympathy.
Pronunciation of 惻
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Etymology of 惻
Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 则 represents the sound. Simplified form of 惻.
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Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 惻
Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 则 represents the sound. Simplified form of 惻.
- 1The meaning half忄 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half則 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 惻? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 惻
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How to say anguished; sympathetic in Chinese
“anguished; sympathetic” in Chinese is惻
The character 惻 (cè) conveys a sense of deep sympathy or anguish. It is often used to describe a feeling of compassion for someone else's suffering, highlighting an emotional response to their plight. This character is less common in everyday conversation but can be seen in literary contexts or discussions about emotional experiences.
When to use 惻
When using 惻, it's important to pair it with contexts of emotional depth or literature, as it's less suitable for casual conversation. Be cautious with similar-sounding words like 厕 (cè, toilet) to avoid confusion. Common collocations include 惻隐之心 (cè yǐn zhī xīn), meaning 'the heart of sympathy'.
惻 or something close to it
惋 (wǎn) - use 惻 (cè) when emphasizing deep sympathy or anguish, while 惋 (wǎn) conveys a sense of regret or sorrow.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 惻 with similar-sounding words, leading to phrases like 惻情 (cè qíng), which is incorrect. The correct usage would be 惻隐 (cè yǐn) to convey sympathy.
Write 惻
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Practice writing 惻 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Cultural Notes for 惻
While the concept of sympathy exists in Western cultures, the depth of emotional expression and communal sharing of suffering in Chinese culture often leads to a richer vocabulary around these feelings.
Word Family of 惻
Compound Meaning
What does 恻 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 惻
It is pronounced 'cè', with a falling tone.
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