to affect, to move, to touch; to perceive, to sense
HSK 4, v, 13 strokes, radical 心, rank #977, Hard
gǎn(gan3) T3
1to feel
2to move
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March 24, 2026
感gǎn(gan3)
The character 感 (gǎn) primarily means 'to feel' or 'to perceive'. It is commonly used in contexts related to emotions, sensations, and the act of being affected by something, such as feelings of joy, sadness, or physical sensations. This character can also serve as a suffix to describe a sense or feeling associated with something.
Strokes13Radical心Frequency#977DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing emotions is often more subtle compared to Western cultures. The use of 感 can indicate a deeper level of emotional sensitivity, showing how one is affected by relationships and experiences.
Memory Tip
Imagine a heart (representing feelings) with a hand reaching out to touch it; the hand symbolizes the action of 感 (gǎn) or 'to feel'. The character has a 'heart' radical (心), indicating a connection to emotions. Think of 'gǎn' as 'gaining feelings' when you touch someone or something emotionally.
Meanings of 感
gǎn(gan3)
1to feel
2to move
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 感
感Simplified
13Strokes
心Radical
后接成分suffix-forming morpheme (suff.)Part of Speech
#977Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4TOCFLL5
Podcast: 感
Podcast: 感
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AI Study Notes for 感
Quick Contrast
感 (gǎn) vs 觉 (jué) — use 感 for emotional or sensory perception, while 觉 is more about awareness or realization.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a heart (representing feelings) with a hand reaching out to touch it; the hand symbolizes the action of 感 (gǎn) or 'to feel'. The character has a 'heart' radical (心), indicating a connection to emotions. Think of 'gǎn' as 'gaining feelings' when you touch someone or something emotionally.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 感 with similar words related to emotions, such as 爱 (ài, love) or 喜 (xǐ, like). It's used in both formal and informal contexts, but when expressing deeper emotions, it's better to use it in a more personal setting. Common collocations include 感觉 (gǎnjué, feeling) and 感动 (gǎndòng, to be moved).
HSK Study Tips
Although 感 is not specifically listed in the HSK vocabulary, it connects well with other HSK words related to feelings and emotions, such as 喜欢 (xǐhuān, to like) and 爱 (ài, love). Focus on using it in sentences to express feelings or perceptions to enhance your emotional vocabulary.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing emotions is often more subtle compared to Western cultures. The use of 感 can indicate a deeper level of emotional sensitivity, showing how one is affected by relationships and experiences.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 感 as a standalone term to describe emotions without pairing it with another word, such as saying '我感' instead of '我感到快乐' (wǒ gǎndào kuàilè, I feel happy). It's important to use it in conjunction with other words to convey the intended meaning.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 感
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Grammar Patterns of 感
感 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 8 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
tā xuān chēng dào：“ ：“ wǒ wéi zì jǐ de suǒ zuò suǒ wéi gǎn dào xīng fèn bù。”
"I'm absolutely thrilled to have done what I've done," he declared.
Cultural Notes for 感
💡Did you know?
The character '感' is made up of the heart radical 心 and the character 咸, symbolizing a deep emotional connection or feeling between hearts. This represents how emotions are often tied to our heart.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, expressing emotions is often more subtle compared to Western cultures. The use of 感 can indicate a deeper level of emotional sensitivity, showing how one is affected by relationships and experiences.
Word Family of 感
Compounds3
憾han4regret (sense of loss or dissatisfaction)
撼han4to shake
鳡
Words Containing This Character20
感觉gǎnjuéto feel感覺
感谢gǎnxiègratitude感謝
感到gǎndàoto feel
感gǎnto feel
感情gǎnqíngemotion
感受gǎnshòuto sense
性感xìnggǎnsex appeal
感染gǎnrǎninfection
感动gǎndòngto move (sb)感動
感激gǎnjīto be grateful
情感qínggǎnfeeling
感冒gǎnmàoto catch cold
敏感mǐngǎnsensitive
流感liúgǎnflu
灵感línggǎninspiration靈感
感觉到to feel感覺到
感恩gǎnēnto be grateful
感恩节Thanksgiving Day感恩節
感兴趣gǎnxìngqùto be interested感興趣
安全感sense of security
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 憾 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 感
Yes, 感 (gǎn) can be used in various contexts, such as expressing emotional states or physical sensations. It appears in phrases like 感动 (gǎndòng), which means 'to be moved emotionally,' and 感冒 (gǎnmào), which means 'to catch a cold.' This versatility makes it an important character in Chinese language and culture.
感 (gǎn) generally refers to the act of feeling or sensing something, while 感受 (gǎnshòu) specifically emphasizes the experience or perception of those feelings. For example, 感受 is often used when discussing one's emotional responses to events or situations.
感 (gǎn) means 'to feel,' 'to move,' or 'to touch.' It can also refer to emotions or feelings, such as affection or sentiment. This character is often used in various phrases related to feelings and emotional experiences.
You can use 感 (gǎn) in sentences to express feelings, such as '我感到快乐' (Wǒ gǎndào kuàilè), meaning 'I feel happy.' It can also be combined with other characters, like 感觉 (gǎnjué), which means 'to feel' or 'feeling.' Understanding its usage will help you convey emotions more effectively in conversation.
Common phrases include 感觉 (gǎnjué, feeling) and 感动 (gǎndòng, to be moved).
No, it can also refer to physical sensations or perceptions, such as feeling hot or cold.
Use it as a suffix when you want to express a sense related to a noun, such as in 感冒 (gǎnmào, cold, as in the illness).
