Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
悱 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
悱fěiovercome with emotion; at a loss for wordsvg, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #54775, Very Hard
悱fěiwant but cannot speakunknown, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #54775, Very Hard
fěi(fei3) T3
  1. 1overcome with emotion; at a loss for words
  2. 2want but cannot speak
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

悱fěi(fei3)

The character 悱 (fěi) describes a state of being overwhelmed by emotion, often leading to an inability to articulate one's feelings or thoughts. It is commonly used in literary contexts to express deep emotional struggles, particularly in romantic or poignant situations.

Strokes11Radical忄Frequency#54775DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, expressions of unspoken love or deep emotional struggles are prevalent, often reflecting societal values around restraint in emotional expression. 悱 captures this essence beautifully, embodying the tension between feeling and expression.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person so filled with feelings of love and longing that they can't find the right words to express themselves. The character 悱 contains the heart radical (心), symbolizing emotion, combined with the sound 'fei', which resembles someone feebly trying to speak but failing due to their intense feelings.

Meanings of 悱

fěi(fei3)
1overcome with emotion; at a loss for words
2want but cannot speak
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 悱

悱Simplified
11Strokes
忄Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 悱

JasonAmy

Podcast: 悱

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 悱

Quick Contrast

悱 (fěi) vs 悲 (bēi) — use 悱 for emotional overwhelm that hinders expression, while 悲 denotes general sadness.

Usage Notes

This term is typically used in literary or poetic language, making it less common in everyday conversation. Be cautious with tones; 悱 is pronounced with a rising tone (ě) which can change the meaning if pronounced incorrectly. It often collocates with words related to love, sadness, or longing.

HSK Study Tips

Although this word is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can enhance your grasp of emotional expression in Chinese literature. Focus on the emotional nuances of vocabulary at this level, as they often convey deeper meanings in context.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 悱 with similar-sounding words like 肥 (féi), meaning 'fat.' Remember that 悱 carries emotional weight and is used in more poetic contexts. A wrong example would be using 悱 to describe physical conditions; instead, use 肥 in that context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 悱

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 悱 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 悱

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

heart

Semantic (meaning)忄
+
Phonetic (sound)非
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 悱

  1. 1The meaning half忄 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half非 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayheart
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 悱? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 悱?

Decomposition of 悱

IDS Structure⿰忄非
悱Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
非Fei1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 悱?

How to say overcome with emotion; at a loss for words in Chinese

“overcome with emotion; at a loss for words” in Chinese is悱fěi

The character 悱 (fěi) describes a state of being overwhelmed by emotion, often leading to an inability to articulate one's feelings or thoughts. It is commonly used in literary contexts to express deep emotional struggles, particularly in romantic or poignant situations.

When to use 悱

This term is typically used in literary or poetic language, making it less common in everyday conversation. Be cautious with tones; 悱 is pronounced with a rising tone (ě) which can change the meaning if pronounced incorrectly. It often collocates with words related to love, sadness, or longing.

悱 or something close to it

悱 (fěi) vs 悲 (bēi) — use 悱 for emotional overwhelm that hinders expression, while 悲 denotes general sadness.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 悱 with similar-sounding words like 肥 (féi), meaning 'fat.' Remember that 悱 carries emotional weight and is used in more poetic contexts. A wrong example would be using 悱 to describe physical conditions; instead, use 肥 in that context.

Write 悱

悱

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 悱

Words Containing This Character2
悱fěiwant but cannot speak
缠绵悱恻very sentimental纏綿悱惻
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 悱 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 悱

You might say '我对她的爱让我感到悱恻,' meaning 'My love for her leaves me at a loss for words.'

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 悱?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.