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March 24, 2026
慎shèn(shen4)
慎 (shèn) means to be careful or cautious. It is often used in contexts where one needs to exercise caution or prudence, such as in decision-making or behavior in sensitive situations. The character conveys a sense of mindfulness and attention to detail.
Strokes13Radical忄Frequency#18407DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, being慎 is highly valued, especially in business and interpersonal relationships. This reflects the broader cultural emphasis on harmony and avoiding conflicts through careful consideration of actions and words.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person carefully stepping over a crack in the sidewalk to avoid falling. The character 慎 is visually composed of the heart radical (心), representing feelings or thoughts, combined with the element of caution, reminding you to be 'careful with your heart'.
Meanings of 慎
shèn(shen4)
1careful
2cautious
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 慎
慎Simplified
13Strokes
忄Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#18407Frequency Rank
Podcast: 慎
Podcast: 慎
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AI Study Notes for 慎
Quick Contrast
谨 (jǐn) - use 慎 (shèn) when emphasizing carefulness in sensitive situations, while 谨 (jǐn) often implies a more formal or respectful caution.
Usage Notes
慎 is often used in more formal contexts, such as official documents or discussions about serious matters. Common collocations include 慎重 (shèn zhòng, to be cautious) and 要慎 (yào shèn, to be careful). Be mindful of tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.
HSK Study Tips
Though not currently assigned an HSK level, 慎 connects to vocabulary around behavior and decision-making at higher levels. Focus on its use in formal contexts and its collocations with other cautionary terms.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 慎 with similar characters like 轻 (qīng, light) when discussing caution. Remember that慎 specifically conveys carefulness and prudence rather than just being light or easygoing.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 慎
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Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 真 represents the sound. Simplified form of 昚.
1The meaning half忄 carries the sense.
2The sound half真 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayheart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 慎? 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 慎?
Decomposition of 慎
IDS Structure⿰忄真
慎Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
真zhen1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 慎?
How to say careful in Chinese
“careful” in Chinese is慎shèn
慎 (shèn) means to be careful or cautious. It is often used in contexts where one needs to exercise caution or prudence, such as in decision-making or behavior in sensitive situations. The character conveys a sense of mindfulness and attention to detail.
When to use 慎
慎 is often used in more formal contexts, such as official documents or discussions about serious matters. Common collocations include 慎重 (shèn zhòng, to be cautious) and 要慎 (yào shèn, to be careful). Be mindful of tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.
慎 or something close to it
谨 (jǐn) - use 慎 (shèn) when emphasizing carefulness in sensitive situations, while 谨 (jǐn) often implies a more formal or respectful caution.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 慎 with similar characters like 轻 (qīng, light) when discussing caution. Remember that慎 specifically conveys carefulness and prudence rather than just being light or easygoing.
Write 慎
慎
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Practice writing 慎 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 慎
慎 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). 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.
