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惆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
惆chóudistressed, regretful, sadHSK 7, a, 11 strokes, radical 忄, Very Hard
惆chóuforlornHSK 7, unknown, 11 strokes, radical 忄, Very Hard
惆chóuvexedHSK 7, unknown, 11 strokes, radical 忄, Very Hard
惆chóudisappointedHSK 7, unknown, 11 strokes, radical 忄, Very Hard
chóu(chou2) T2
  1. 1distressed, regretful, sad
  2. 2forlorn
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

惆chóu(chou2)

The character 惆 (chóu) conveys a deep sense of emotional distress or regret. It is often used to describe feelings of sadness or disappointment, typically in contexts related to lost love or unfulfilled desires, expressing a poignant sense of longing.

Strokes11Radical忄DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, feelings of longing and regret are often explored in poetry and prose, particularly in romantic contexts. The use of 惆 reflects a cultural appreciation for the depth of emotional expression.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person sitting alone, feeling forlorn under a cloudy sky, which represents their 'distress' (惆). The character has a heart radical (忄) on the left, signifying feelings, and a component that suggests 'troubled thoughts'. Picture this person holding a heavy heart, weighed down by their vexation.

Meanings of 惆

chóu(chou2)
1distressed, regretful, sad
2forlorn
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 惆

惆Simplified
11Strokes
忄Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 惆

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Podcast: 惆

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AI Study Notes for 惆

Quick Contrast

惆 (chóu) vs 伤 (shāng) — use 惆 to convey a deeper, more emotional sense of regret or longing, while 伤 focuses more on physical or emotional pain.

Usage Notes

This character is often used in literary or poetic contexts. Avoid using it in casual conversations, as it may sound overly dramatic. Common collocations include 惆怅 (chóuchàng), meaning 'to feel forlorn', which conveys a similar sentiment.

HSK Study Tips

Though not in the HSK vocabulary lists, learning 惆 can enrich your understanding of emotional expressions in Chinese. It connects with other words expressing feelings, such as 悲伤 (bēishāng - sadness) and 失望 (shīwàng - disappointment). Focus on its use in literary texts to grasp its nuance.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 惆 with similar characters like 愁 (chóu), which also means 'to worry' but has a slightly different nuance. Ensure you understand the context in which each character is used to avoid this mix-up.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 惆

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Etymology of 惆

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

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 周 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

heart

Semantic (meaning)忄
+
Phonetic (sound)周
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 惆

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 周 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half忄 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half周 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayheart
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 惆? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 惆?

Decomposition of 惆

IDS Structure⿰忄周
惆Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
周Zhou1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 惆?

How to say distressed, regretful, sad in Chinese

“distressed, regretful, sad” in Chinese is惆chóu

The character 惆 (chóu) conveys a deep sense of emotional distress or regret. It is often used to describe feelings of sadness or disappointment, typically in contexts related to lost love or unfulfilled desires, expressing a poignant sense of longing.

When to use 惆

This character is often used in literary or poetic contexts. Avoid using it in casual conversations, as it may sound overly dramatic. Common collocations include 惆怅 (chóuchàng), meaning 'to feel forlorn', which conveys a similar sentiment.

惆 or something close to it

惆 (chóu) vs 伤 (shāng) — use 惆 to convey a deeper, more emotional sense of regret or longing, while 伤 focuses more on physical or emotional pain.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 惆 with similar characters like 愁 (chóu), which also means 'to worry' but has a slightly different nuance. Ensure you understand the context in which each character is used to avoid this mix-up.

Write 惆

惆

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 惆

Words Containing This Character2
惆怅melancholy惆悵
惆chóuforlorn
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 惆怅 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 惆

It means to feel distressed, regretful, or sad, often used in contexts of longing.

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