Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
抱怨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
抱怨bàoyuànto complainHSK 5, v, rank #2215, Hard
抱怨bàoyuànto grumbleHSK 5, v, rank #2215, Hard
抱怨bàoyuànto harbor a complaintHSK 5, v, rank #2215, Hard
抱怨bàoyuànto feel dissatisfiedHSK 5, v, rank #2215, Hard
bàoyuàn(bao4yuan4) T4
  1. 1to complain
  2. 2to grumble
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
抱怨bàoyuàn(bao4yuan4)

抱怨 (bào yuàn) means to express dissatisfaction or grievances about a situation or person. It is commonly used in everyday conversation when someone feels wronged or displeased, emphasizing a sense of frustration or annoyance.

Frequency#2215DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressing dissatisfaction openly can sometimes be seen as negative or inappropriate, especially in formal settings. However, it is common in family and close-knit relationships to express grievances as a way of seeking support.

Memory Tip

Imagine holding a heavy '抱' (bào) of complaints close to your chest, feeling the weight of your '怨' (yuàn) like a burden. The pronunciation 'bào' sounds like 'bow'—you bow down under the weight of your complaints.

Meanings of 抱怨

bàoyuàn(bao4yuan4)
1to complain
2to grumble
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 抱怨

抱怨Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#2215Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRB2

Podcast: 抱怨

JasonAmy

Podcast: 抱怨

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 抱怨

Quick Contrast

抱怨 (bàoyuàn) vs 诉苦 (sùkǔ) — use 抱怨 for general complaints, while 诉苦 emphasizes sharing suffering or hardship.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine holding a heavy '抱' (bào) of complaints close to your chest, feeling the weight of your '怨' (yuàn) like a burden. The pronunciation 'bào' sounds like 'bow'—you bow down under the weight of your complaints.

Usage Notes

Learners often mistake 抱怨 for simply stating a fact, whereas it specifically conveys dissatisfaction. It is generally used in informal contexts and can be paired with words like '工作' (work) or '生活' (life) to specify the source of complaints. Be mindful of using the correct tone: the first syllable is pronounced with a falling tone (4th tone).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 5 word, 抱怨 connects well with other verbs expressing emotions or states, such as '满意' (satisfied) and '不满' (dissatisfied). Focus on practicing it in sentences to express feelings about various topics.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressing dissatisfaction openly can sometimes be seen as negative or inappropriate, especially in formal settings. However, it is common in family and close-knit relationships to express grievances as a way of seeking support.

Common Mistakes

Learners often say '我抱怨的工作' which incorrectly mixes structures. The correct phrase is '我对工作抱怨' (I complain about work). Additionally, some might use a neutral tone instead of the required falling tone for '抱怨'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 抱怨

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 抱怨 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

Component Characters

抱bàoto hold
HSK 48 strokes扌
View full entry
怨yuànto blame
HSK 79 strokes心
View full entry

Write 抱怨

抱
怨

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 抱怨

抱怨 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 4 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.

Related grammar lessons3
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

她没完没了地____，大家都受不了了。

She complained endlessly — everyone was fed up.

Example Sentences for 抱怨 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
对于现况的不满，不能只是抱怨，要有作出改变。

duì yú xiàn kuàng de bù mǎn， ， bù néng zhī shì bào， yuàn ， yào yǒu zuò chū。

If you're not satisfied with the life you're living, don't just complain. Do something about it.
2
医生们抱怨他们疲于应付医药公司的销售人员。

yī shēng mén bào yuàn tā mén pí yú yīng fù yī yào gōng sī de xiāo shòu rén yuán。

Doctors are complaining about being barraged by drug-company salesmen.
3
“你要我做的事我都做了。”他抱怨道。

“ “ nǐ yào wǒ zuò de shì wǒ dū zuò。” le 。” tā bào。

"I do everything you ask of me," he complained.
4
这些官员感到受了怠慢，于是大声抱怨起来。

zhè xiē guān yuán gǎn dào shòu le dài màn， ， yú shì dà shēng bào yuàn qǐ。

The officials felt taken for granted and grumbled loudly.
5
邻桌的一位男士当时正高声地抱怨着。

lín zhuō de yī wèi nán shì dāng shí zhèng gāo shēng dì bào yuàn zháo。

At a nearby table a man was complaining in a loud voice.
6
科恩抱怨克拉维斯非要在他的买卖中插上一脚。

kē ēn bào yuàn kè lā wéi sī fēi yào zài tā de mǎi mài zhōng chā shàng yī jiǎo。

Cohen complained that Kravis was muscling in on his deal.
7
他过来抱怨音乐的音量太高了。

tā guò lái bào yuàn yīn lè de yīn liáng tài gāo le。

He came to complain about the volume of the music.
8
他是个喜欢抱怨的老头，但是她对他很包容。

tā shì gè xǐ huān bào yuàn de lǎo tóu， ， dàn shì tā duì tā hěn bāo。

He's an old grouch but she puts up with him.
9
其他剧院观众抱怨说，琼在台上只呆了半个小时。

qí tā jù yuàn guān zhòng bào yuàn shuō， ， qióng zài tái shàng zhī dāi le bàn gè xiǎo。

Other theatre-goers complained Joan was on stage for just half an hour.
10
阿伯先生大声抱怨说这笔交易是个骗局。

ā bó xiān shēng dà shēng bào yuàn shuō zhè bǐ jiāo yì shì gè piàn jú。

Mr Arbor squawked that the deal was a double-cross.

Cultural Notes for 抱怨

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, expressing dissatisfaction openly can sometimes be seen as negative or inappropriate, especially in formal settings. However, it is common in family and close-knit relationships to express grievances as a way of seeking support.

Frequently Asked Questions about 抱怨

It's generally more appropriate in informal contexts; in formal settings, consider using '提出意见' (tí chū yì jiàn) to express concerns.