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諫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
諫jiànto admonish, to remonstratex, 16 strokes, radical 言
jiàn(jian4) T4
  1. 1to admonish, to remonstrate
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March 24, 2026

諫jiàn(jian4)

The character 諫 (jiàn) means to admonish or to remonstrate, primarily in a context where one advises someone, often a superior, against a course of action. It carries a connotation of respectful disagreement or counsel, typically seen in formal or historical contexts, such as in literature or politics.

Strokes16Radical言
Cultural Note

In Chinese history, the act of 諫 was crucial during dynastic rule, where courtiers would offer their counsel to emperors. This reflects the Confucian value placed on loyalty and proper conduct in relationships between rulers and subjects.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wise advisor (the character 諫) standing before a king, holding a scroll (the '言' part) that represents words of wisdom. The '言' radical for speech reminds you that this character is about speaking out respectfully, while '監' suggests overseeing or advising, linking to the meaning of admonishment.

Meanings of 諫

jiàn(jian4)
1to admonish, to remonstrate
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 諫

諫Simplified
16Strokes
言Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 諫

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AI Study Notes for 諫

Quick Contrast

劝 (quàn) - use 諫 (jiàn) when emphasizing respectful admonition to a superior, whereas 劝 (quàn) is more general advice without the same hierarchical implication.

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 諫 is used in more formal contexts and may not be suitable for casual conversations. Common collocations include phrases like '諫言' (jiànyán), meaning 'admonition'. Remember to use the correct tone, as a mispronunciation can change the word entirely.

HSK Study Tips

Although 諫 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects to other words related to advising and communication. Students at this level should focus on understanding its formal usage and how it contrasts with more casual expressions of advice.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 諫 with 勸 (quàn), thinking they are interchangeable, but 勸 is more about persuasion rather than respectful admonishment. Correct usage would be to say '我想諫他' (Wǒ xiǎng jiàn tā) instead of '我想勸他' (Wǒ xiǎng quàn tā) if the intention is to advise respectfully.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 諫

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Etymology of 諫

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 柬 represents the sound. Simplified form of 諫.

Memory Hint

speech

Semantic (meaning)言
+
Phonetic (sound)柬
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

諫 = 言 + 柬. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 諫

IDS Structure⿰言柬
諫Full Character
=
言yan2
left
柬Jian3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 諫?

How to say to admonish, to remonstrate in Chinese

“to admonish, to remonstrate” in Chinese is諫jiàn

The character 諫 (jiàn) means to admonish or to remonstrate, primarily in a context where one advises someone, often a superior, against a course of action. It carries a connotation of respectful disagreement or counsel, typically seen in formal or historical contexts, such as in literature or politics.

When to use 諫

Be mindful that 諫 is used in more formal contexts and may not be suitable for casual conversations. Common collocations include phrases like '諫言' (jiànyán), meaning 'admonition'. Remember to use the correct tone, as a mispronunciation can change the word entirely.

諫 or something close to it

劝 (quàn) - use 諫 (jiàn) when emphasizing respectful admonition to a superior, whereas 劝 (quàn) is more general advice without the same hierarchical implication.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 諫 with 勸 (quàn), thinking they are interchangeable, but 勸 is more about persuasion rather than respectful admonishment. Correct usage would be to say '我想諫他' (Wǒ xiǎng jiàn tā) instead of '我想勸他' (Wǒ xiǎng quàn tā) if the intention is to advise respectfully.

Write 諫

諫

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

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Word Family of 諫

Words Containing This Character5
谏jiànto admonish諫
劝谏to admonish勸諫
直谏direct criticism直諫
规谏to remonstrate規諫
从谏如流to follow admonition as natural flow (idiom); to accept criticism or correction (even from one's inferiors)從諫如流
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 諫

What does 谏 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 諫

You can say '他對國王提出了諫言' (Tā duì guówáng tíchūle jiànyán), meaning 'He offered an admonition to the king.'

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