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March 24, 2026
悔huǐ(hui3)
The character 悔 (huǐ) means 'to regret' or 'to repent'. It is commonly used to express feelings of remorse over past actions or decisions, often in contexts where one wishes they had acted differently. This word captures the emotional weight of realizing a mistake or the desire to change the past.
Strokes10Radical忄Frequency#16531DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing regret is often linked to moral reflection and personal growth. The concept of '悔' is significant in traditional teachings, such as Confucianism, where acknowledging one's mistakes is essential for self-improvement.
Memory Tip
Imagine a heart (心) that is heavy with sorrow after making a poor choice, which symbolizes regret (悔). The left part of the character, 悔, contains the 'heart' radical, reminding you that regret is an emotional response stemming from the heart.
Meanings of 悔
huǐ(hui3)
1to regret
2to regret, to repent, to show remorse
Exercise 1 of 3
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About 悔
悔Simplified
10Strokes
忄Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#16531Frequency Rank
Podcast: 悔
Podcast: 悔
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AI Study Notes for 悔
Quick Contrast
悔 (huǐ) vs 后悔 (hòuhuǐ) — use 悔 for a more formal or literary expression of regret, while 后悔 is more commonly used in everyday conversation.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a heart (心) that is heavy with sorrow after making a poor choice, which symbolizes regret (悔). The left part of the character, 悔, contains the 'heart' radical, reminding you that regret is an emotional response stemming from the heart.
Usage Notes
Be careful with the tone, as 'huǐ' (悔) has a falling tone which can be confused with similar-sounding words. It is more commonly used in informal contexts but can appear in formal discussions about ethics or personal reflection. Common collocations include '悔恨' (huǐhèn - deep regret) or '悔改' (huǐgǎi - to repent).
HSK Study Tips
Although 悔 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list, it connects well with HSK level 3 and 4 words related to emotions and morality. Students should focus on understanding its use in expressions of regret and practice forming sentences that illustrate remorse.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing regret is often linked to moral reflection and personal growth. The concept of '悔' is significant in traditional teachings, such as Confucianism, where acknowledging one's mistakes is essential for self-improvement.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 悔 (huǐ) with 慢 (màn), which means 'slow', due to similar pronunciation. For example, saying '我慢我的决定' (I am slow my decision) instead of '我对我的决定感到悔' (I regret my decision) reflects such a mistake.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 悔
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Grammar Patterns of 悔
悔 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 2 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.
I immediately regretted having said this— I could have kicked myself.
Cultural Notes for 悔
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, expressing regret is often seen as a sign of humility and self-awareness. It reflects the Confucian value of recognizing one's mistakes and learning from them.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, expressing regret is often linked to moral reflection and personal growth. The concept of '悔' is significant in traditional teachings, such as Confucianism, where acknowledging one's mistakes is essential for self-improvement.
📜Proverb
A common Chinese proverb states, "后悔药吃不到", which means 'you can't take regret medicine.' It emphasizes the idea that once a decision is made, one must accept the consequences.
Word Family of 悔
Words Containing This Character20
后悔hòuhuǐto regret後悔
忏悔to confess懺悔
悔huǐto regret
悔恨huǐhènremorse
懊悔to repent
悔过to regret悔過
反悔to renege
悔改to repent
后悔莫及too late for regrets (idiom); It is useless to repent after the event.後悔莫及
悔悟to repent
追悔莫及too late for regrets (idiom); It is useless to repent after the event.
悔罪conviction
无怨无悔no complaints無怨無悔
追悔to repent
悔不当初to regret one's past deeds (idiom)悔不當初
悔过自新to repent and start afresh (idiom); to turn over a new leaf悔過自新
后悔不迭too late for regrets後悔不迭
无悔to have no regrets無悔
悔棋to withdraw a move (chess)
悔过书written repentance悔過書
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 后悔 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 悔
Some synonyms for 悔 include 懊悔 (àohuǐ), which also means 'to regret,' and 悔恨 (huǐhèn), meaning 'to feel remorseful.' These terms can be used interchangeably in many contexts but may carry slightly different emotional weights.
Yes, 悔 is commonly used in everyday conversation when discussing feelings of regret or remorse. It is particularly relevant in discussions about personal decisions and their consequences.
悔 (huǐ) means 'to regret' or 'to repent.' It expresses feelings of remorse or disappointment about past actions. This character is often used in contexts where someone wishes they had made a different choice.
You can use 悔 (huǐ) in sentences such as '我后悔了' (wǒ hòuhuǐ le), which means 'I regret it.' It can also be used with different grammatical structures to express regret over specific actions or decisions.
You can use it like this: 我为我的错误感到悔恨。(I feel regret for my mistake.)
Yes, 悔恨 (huǐhèn) is a synonym that conveys a deeper sense of regret.
Typically, 悔 is used negatively to express remorse, but it can also imply a desire to improve oneself after recognizing a mistake.
