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謝 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
謝xièto thank; to refuse politelyx, 17 strokes, radical 言
xiè(xie4) T4
  1. 1to thank; to refuse politely
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March 24, 2026

謝xiè(xie4)

The character 謝 (xiè) primarily means 'to thank' and is commonly used in expressions of gratitude. It can also mean 'to refuse politely,' often in contexts where one declines an offer or invitation. This dual usage makes it a versatile term in both formal and informal settings.

Strokes17Radical言
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressing thanks is an important social etiquette, especially during festivals or family gatherings, where acknowledging kindness is deeply valued. This character embodies the spirit of reciprocity in social relationships.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person bowing while saying 'xiè' to thank someone for a gift. The character 謝 includes the speech radical 言 (yán), reminding you that you're expressing something verbally, and the component 射 (shè) suggests aiming your gratitude at the right target.

Meanings of 謝

xiè(xie4)
1to thank; to refuse politely
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 謝 means.

About 謝

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

Podcast: 謝

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Podcast: 謝

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AI Study Notes for 謝

Quick Contrast

感谢 (gǎnxiè) vs 谢 (xiè) — use 感谢 when expressing deeper gratitude or appreciation, while 谢 is more casual or polite. 拒绝 (jùjué) vs 谢 (xiè) — use 拒绝 when explicitly refusing an offer, while 谢 is a more polite way to decline.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 謝 with its antonym, which could lead to misunderstandings. It's used in both formal and informal contexts, so adjust your tone accordingly. Common collocations include 謝謝 (xièxiè) for 'thank you' and 謝罪 (xièzuì) for 'to apologize'.

HSK Study Tips

Although 謝 is not part of the official HSK levels, it is essential for beginners due to its frequent use in daily conversations. Focus on mastering its pronunciation and the common phrases associated with expressing gratitude.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 謝 (xiè) with similar-sounding words. For instance, saying '我謝' (Wǒ xiè) instead of '我謝謝' (Wǒ xièxiè) for 'I thank you' is incorrect; always use the full expression to be clear.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 謝

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Etymology of 謝

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

Simplified form of 謝. Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 射 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

speech

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

Origin

謝 = 言 + 射. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 謝

IDS Structure⿰言射
謝Full Character
=
言yan2
left
射she4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 謝?

How to say to thank; to refuse politely in Chinese

“to thank; to refuse politely” in Chinese is謝xiè

The character 謝 (xiè) primarily means 'to thank' and is commonly used in expressions of gratitude. It can also mean 'to refuse politely,' often in contexts where one declines an offer or invitation. This dual usage makes it a versatile term in both formal and informal settings.

When to use 謝

Be careful not to confuse 謝 with its antonym, which could lead to misunderstandings. It's used in both formal and informal contexts, so adjust your tone accordingly. Common collocations include 謝謝 (xièxiè) for 'thank you' and 謝罪 (xièzuì) for 'to apologize'.

謝 or something close to it

感谢 (gǎnxiè) vs 谢 (xiè) — use 感谢 when expressing deeper gratitude or appreciation, while 谢 is more casual or polite. 拒绝 (jùjué) vs 谢 (xiè) — use 拒绝 when explicitly refusing an offer, while 谢 is a more polite way to decline.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 謝 (xiè) with similar-sounding words. For instance, saying '我謝' (Wǒ xiè) instead of '我謝謝' (Wǒ xièxiè) for 'I thank you' is incorrect; always use the full expression to be clear.

Write 謝

謝

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

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Word Family of 謝

Words Containing This Character20
谢谢xièxieto thank謝謝
感谢gǎnxiègratitude感謝
谢xièto thank謝
多谢many thanks多謝
代谢replacement代謝
谢天谢地Thank heavens!謝天謝地
新陈代谢xīnchéndàixièmetabolism (biology)新陳代謝
谢霆锋Tse Ting-Fung or Nicholas Tse (1980-), Cantopop star謝霆鋒
答谢to express one's thanks答謝
谢长廷Frank Chang-ting Hsieh (1946-), Taiwanese DPP politician, mayor of Kaohsiung 1998-2005謝長廷
谢意gratitude謝意
谢绝xièjuéto refuse politely謝絕
谢幕to take a curtain call謝幕
道谢to express thanks道謝
致谢to give thanks致謝
谢罪to apologize for an offense謝罪
凋谢to wither凋謝
谢恩to thank sb for favor (esp. emperor or superior official)謝恩
谢赫Xie He (479-502), portrait painter from Qi of Southern dynasties 南齊謝赫
酬谢to thank with a gift酬謝
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 謝

What does 谢谢 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 謝

謝謝 (xièxiè) is more commonly used in everyday situations, while 多謝 (duōxiè) can express a deeper sense of gratitude, often used in more formal contexts.

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