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謊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
謊huǎngto liex, 17 strokes, radical 言, rank #95915, Very Hard
huǎng(huang3) T3
  1. 1to lie
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March 24, 2026

謊huǎng(huang3)

The character 謊 (huǎng) means 'to lie' or 'to tell falsehoods.' It is commonly used in contexts where dishonesty or deception is involved, such as in discussions about trustworthiness or morality. The nuance often conveys a sense of intentionality in the act of lying.

Strokes17Radical言Frequency#95915DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of honesty is highly valued, and lying is often viewed very negatively, especially in interpersonal relationships. The importance of trust is deeply embedded in social interactions, making this term significant in discussions about ethics.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'huge lie' that sounds like 'huǎng.' The character 謊 contains the radical 言 (yán), which means 'speech,' suggesting that this is about what is said. Visualize a person speaking a huge, exaggerated tale, emphasizing the act of lying.

Meanings of 謊

huǎng(huang3)
1to lie
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 謊

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

Podcast: 謊

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Podcast: 謊

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AI Study Notes for 謊

Quick Contrast

谎言 (huǎngyán) vs 謊 (huǎng): Use 謊 when referring to the act of lying itself, while 谎言 specifically refers to the lie or falsehood being told.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with tone when pronouncing huǎng, as mispronunciation can lead to misunderstandings. This term is more suitable for serious discussions and should be avoided in light-hearted conversations. Common collocations include 謊言 (huǎngyán), meaning 'lie' or 'falsehood.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 謊 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects with concepts of honesty and communication found in lower levels. Students should focus on pairing this word with others related to truth (e.g., 真 (zhēn) for true) to enhance their vocabulary around honesty.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is confusing 謊 (huǎng) with 假 (jiǎ), which means 'fake' or 'false' but is used differently. For example, saying '我假' (wǒ jiǎ) instead of '我在说谎' (wǒ zài shuō huǎng) to express lying is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 謊

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Etymology of 謊

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 荒 represents the sound. Simplified form of 謊.

Memory Hint

speech

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

Origin

謊 = 言 + 荒. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 謊

IDS Structure⿰言荒
謊Full Character
=
言yan2
left
荒huang1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 謊?

How to say to lie in Chinese

“to lie” in Chinese is謊huǎng

The character 謊 (huǎng) means 'to lie' or 'to tell falsehoods.' It is commonly used in contexts where dishonesty or deception is involved, such as in discussions about trustworthiness or morality. The nuance often conveys a sense of intentionality in the act of lying.

When to use 謊

Be cautious with tone when pronouncing huǎng, as mispronunciation can lead to misunderstandings. This term is more suitable for serious discussions and should be avoided in light-hearted conversations. Common collocations include 謊言 (huǎngyán), meaning 'lie' or 'falsehood.'

謊 or something close to it

谎言 (huǎngyán) vs 謊 (huǎng): Use 謊 when referring to the act of lying itself, while 谎言 specifically refers to the lie or falsehood being told.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is confusing 謊 (huǎng) with 假 (jiǎ), which means 'fake' or 'false' but is used differently. For example, saying '我假' (wǒ jiǎ) instead of '我在说谎' (wǒ zài shuō huǎng) to express lying is incorrect.

Write 謊

謊

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

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Word Family of 謊

Words Containing This Character12
撒谎sāhuǎngto tell lies撒謊
谎言huǎngyánlie謊言
说谎shuōhuǎngto lie說謊
谎huǎnglies謊
谎话huǎnghuàlie謊話
谎报to lie謊報
扯谎to tell a lie扯謊
弥天大谎a pack of lies (idiom)彌天大謊
说谎者liar說謊者
谎称to claim謊稱
虚谎false虛謊
瞒天大谎enormous lie瞞天大謊
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 謊

What does 撒谎 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 謊

You can say: 他在说谎 (tā zài shuō huǎng), which means 'He is lying.'

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