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諒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
諒liàngto excuse, to forgive; to guess, to presumex, 15 strokes, radical 言
liàng(liang4) T4
  1. 1to excuse, to forgive; to guess, to presume
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March 24, 2026

諒liàng(liang4)

The character 諒 (liàng) means to excuse or forgive someone for their actions, and it can also convey the sense of guessing or presuming something. It is often used in contexts where understanding and empathy are involved, such as resolving conflicts or making assumptions about others' intentions.

Strokes15Radical言
Cultural Note

The concept of forgiveness is deeply rooted in Chinese culture, often associated with Confucian values that emphasize harmony and relational harmony. In practice, '諒' is invoked when resolving family disputes or interpersonal conflicts.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wise sage holding a scale (the left radical 讠indicating speech) balancing forgiveness (the right part 量, which looks like a scale) for someone who has wronged them. The character sounds like 'liàng', which can remind you of 'laying down the law' with compassion.

Meanings of 諒

liàng(liang4)
1to excuse, to forgive; to guess, to presume
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 諒

諒Simplified
15Strokes
言Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 諒

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Podcast: 諒

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AI Study Notes for 諒

Quick Contrast

理解 (lǐjiě) vs 諒 (liàng): use 理解 when focusing on comprehension or understanding, while 諒 emphasizes forgiveness or excusing actions.

Usage Notes

This character is generally used in more formal or literary contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters; the tone should be pronounced correctly as the fourth tone (liàng). Common collocations include 諒解 (to understand) and 諒乎 (to presume).

HSK Study Tips

Since 諒 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, students should focus on its components and meanings to make connections with HSK vocabulary. Understanding this word can enhance comprehension of phrases involving empathy and understanding in Chinese.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 諒 by confusing it with similar characters like 量 (liàng), which means 'to measure'. Remember, 諒 focuses on understanding and forgiveness, while 量 deals with quantification.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 諒

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Etymology of 諒

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 京 represents the sound. Simplified form of 諒.

Memory Hint

speech

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

Origin

諒 = 言 + 京. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 諒

IDS Structure⿰言京
諒Full Character
=
言yan2
left
京Jing1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 諒?

How to say to excuse, to forgive; to guess, to presume in Chinese

“to excuse, to forgive; to guess, to presume” in Chinese is諒liàng

The character 諒 (liàng) means to excuse or forgive someone for their actions, and it can also convey the sense of guessing or presuming something. It is often used in contexts where understanding and empathy are involved, such as resolving conflicts or making assumptions about others' intentions.

When to use 諒

This character is generally used in more formal or literary contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters; the tone should be pronounced correctly as the fourth tone (liàng). Common collocations include 諒解 (to understand) and 諒乎 (to presume).

諒 or something close to it

理解 (lǐjiě) vs 諒 (liàng): use 理解 when focusing on comprehension or understanding, while 諒 emphasizes forgiveness or excusing actions.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 諒 by confusing it with similar characters like 量 (liàng), which means 'to measure'. Remember, 諒 focuses on understanding and forgiveness, while 量 deals with quantification.

Write 諒

諒

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

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Cultural Notes for 諒

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, forgiveness is often seen as a personal choice and emotional process, while in Chinese culture, it is frequently tied to social harmony and maintaining relationships.

Word Family of 諒

Words Containing This Character5
原谅yuánliàngto excuse原諒
谅解liàngjiěto understand諒解
体谅tǐliàngto empathize體諒
见谅please forgive me見諒
谅liàngto excuse諒
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 諒

What does 原谅 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 諒

While both mean 'to forgive', 諒 emphasizes understanding and presumption, whereas 原谅 focuses more on the act of forgiveness itself.

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