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謙 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
謙qiānhumble, modestx, 17 strokes, radical 言
qiān(qian1) T1
  1. 1humble, modest
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March 24, 2026

謙qiān(qian1)

The character 謙 (qiān) means humble or modest, often referring to a person's attitude or behavior. It is commonly used in contexts where one is encouraged to be modest about their achievements or to show respect towards others. In Chinese culture, humility is a valued trait and is often emphasized in social interactions.

Strokes17Radical言
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, humility is not only a personal trait but also a social expectation. The concept of 謙 is often tied to Confucian values, where modest behavior is considered virtuous and important for maintaining harmony in relationships.

Memory Tip

Imagine a quiet person (謙) standing on a stage, bowing their head to acknowledge others' contributions. The character 謙 resembles a person with a lowered head, symbolizing humility and modesty. The pronunciation 'qiān' can be remembered by the idea of 'quietly standing' in respect.

Meanings of 謙

qiān(qian1)
1humble, modest
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 謙

謙Simplified
17Strokes
言Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 謙

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Podcast: 謙

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AI Study Notes for 謙

Quick Contrast

谦虚 (qiān xū) vs 謙卑 (qiān bēi) — use 謙 (qiān) when referring to a humble attitude in social contexts, while 謙卑 (qiān bēi) conveys a deeper sense of lowliness or self-deprecation.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include using 謙 in overly formal contexts where simpler words like '谦虚' (qiān xū) might be more appropriate. It's important to note that 謙 is typically used in formal writing or speech, rather than everyday conversation. Be careful with the tone, as mispronouncing the first tone can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 謙 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to the broader themes of humility and respect found in HSK Level 4. Students should focus on using it in phrases or idioms that emphasize modesty, such as 謙虛 (qiān xū), which means to be modest.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 謙 with similar terms like 谦虚 (qiān xū) and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我很謙' instead of '我很謙虚' is incorrect; use the full term for clarity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 謙

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Etymology of 謙

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 兼 represents the sound. Simplified form of 謙.

Memory Hint

speech

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

Origin

謙 = 言 + 兼. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 謙

IDS Structure⿰言兼
謙Full Character
=
言yan2
left
兼jian1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 謙?

How to say humble, modest in Chinese

“humble, modest” in Chinese is謙qiān

The character 謙 (qiān) means humble or modest, often referring to a person's attitude or behavior. It is commonly used in contexts where one is encouraged to be modest about their achievements or to show respect towards others. In Chinese culture, humility is a valued trait and is often emphasized in social interactions.

When to use 謙

Common mistakes include using 謙 in overly formal contexts where simpler words like '谦虚' (qiān xū) might be more appropriate. It's important to note that 謙 is typically used in formal writing or speech, rather than everyday conversation. Be careful with the tone, as mispronouncing the first tone can change the meaning.

謙 or something close to it

谦虚 (qiān xū) vs 謙卑 (qiān bēi) — use 謙 (qiān) when referring to a humble attitude in social contexts, while 謙卑 (qiān bēi) conveys a deeper sense of lowliness or self-deprecation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 謙 with similar terms like 谦虚 (qiān xū) and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我很謙' instead of '我很謙虚' is incorrect; use the full term for clarity.

Write 謙

謙

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

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Word Family of 謙

Words Containing This Character12
谦虚qiānxūmodest謙虛
谦qiānmodest謙
谦逊qiānxùnhumble謙遜
谦卑humble謙卑
谦让to modestly decline謙讓
谦恭polite and modest謙恭
谦和meek謙和
自谦modest自謙
谦辞humble words謙辭
囊谦Nangqên county (Tibetan: nang chen rdzong) in Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefecture 玉樹藏族自治州|玉树藏族自治州[Yù​shù​Zàng​zú​zì​zhì​zhōu], Qinghai囊謙
谦诚humble謙誠
囊谦县Nangqên county (Tibetan: nang chen rdzong) in Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefecture 玉樹藏族自治州|玉树藏族自治州[Yù​shù​Zàng​zú​zì​zhì​zhōu], Qinghai囊謙縣
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 謙

What does 谦虚 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 謙

You can say '他很謙虛' (Tā hěn qiān xū), which means 'He is very humble.'

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