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恧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
ashamedg, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #69788, Very Hard
ashamedg, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #69788, Very Hard
(nü4)
primary
T4
  1. 1ashamed
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(nü4)

The character 恧 (nǜ) conveys a sense of shame or being embarrassed. It is often used to describe a feeling of regret or humiliation in various social contexts, especially when one feels they have not lived up to expectations or norms.

Strokes10RadicalFrequency#69788DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, feelings of shame are often linked to familial and societal expectations, making this character significant when discussing personal failures or societal pressures.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person feeling embarrassed, their face turning a shade of red, like a 'new' (sounds like 'nǜ') blush of shame. The radical '心' (heart) suggests that this feeling comes from deep within, connecting the emotion to the character's meaning.

Meanings of 恧

(nü4)
primary
1ashamed
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 恧

Simplified
10Strokes
Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 恧

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 恧

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person feeling embarrassed, their face turning a shade of red, like a 'new' (sounds like 'nǜ') blush of shame. The radical '心' (heart) suggests that this feeling comes from deep within, connecting the emotion to the character's meaning.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone; 'nǜ' is pronounced with a falling tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced. This character is more formal and can be used in literature or serious discussions about emotions.

HSK Study Tips

Although 恧 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance comprehension of texts that involve emotional expressions. Focus on how it connects to other characters related to feelings, like '羞' (xiū, shy) or '愧' (kuì, guilty).

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, feelings of shame are often linked to familial and societal expectations, making this character significant when discussing personal failures or societal pressures.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 恧 (nǜ) with '羞' (xiū), which also means shame but is more commonly used. Remember, 恧 is more formal and less frequent in daily conversation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 恧

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Etymology of 恧

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

heart

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 恧?

Decomposition of 恧

IDS Structure⿱而心
Full Character
=
er2
top
xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 恧?

Write 恧

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 恧

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, feelings of shame are often linked to familial and societal expectations, making this character significant when discussing personal failures or societal pressures.

Word Family of 恧

Words Containing This Character1
ashamed
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 恧 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 恧

You can say '我感到恧' (Wǒ gǎndào nǜ), which means 'I feel ashamed.'