Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
慴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
慴shèfear; terrified, fearful; fearzg, 14 strokes, radical 忄
shè(she4)she T4
  1. 1fear; terrified, fearful; fear
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

慴shè(she4)

The character 慴 (shè) conveys a sense of fear or being terrified. It is often used in contexts where someone experiences intense anxiety or dread, highlighting the emotional impact of fear rather than just the physical sensation.

Strokes14Radical忄
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, fear is often linked to superstitions and the concept of spirits. The character 慴 reflects the cultural significance of fear, especially in stories that involve ghosts or the supernatural.

Memory Tip

Imagine a scared sheep (shè) trembling in fear. The character 慴 combines the heart radical (心) at the bottom, symbolizing fear felt in the heart, with the component that resembles a person (亻) experiencing dread.

Meanings of 慴

shè(she4)
1fear; terrified, fearful; fear
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 慴 means.

About 慴

慴Simplified
14Strokes
忄Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 慴

JasonAmy

Podcast: 慴

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 慴

Usage Notes

慴 is a more formal term and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. Learners should be cautious with tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with similar-sounding characters. It's often used in literary or descriptive contexts.

HSK Study Tips

Although 慴 is not included in the HSK levels, understanding this character can enhance vocabulary related to emotions and mental states. Students should focus on similar characters expressing feelings to build a more comprehensive emotional lexicon.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 慴 with 恐惧 (kǒngjù), leading to sentences like '我感到恐惧' (I feel fear) instead of using 慴 for a more nuanced expression. Remember to choose the term based on the intensity of fear you wish to convey.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 慴

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 慴 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

Jason Explains 慴 to You

Let me explain 慴 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 慴 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 慴?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 慴 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 慴

Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 聂 represents the sound. Simplified form of 懾.

Learn more about character formation (六书)
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 慴?

Decomposition of 慴

IDS Structure⿰忄習
慴Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
習xi2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 慴?

How to say fear; terrified, fearful; fear in Chinese

“fear; terrified, fearful; fear” in Chinese is慴shè

The character 慴 (shè) conveys a sense of fear or being terrified. It is often used in contexts where someone experiences intense anxiety or dread, highlighting the emotional impact of fear rather than just the physical sensation.

When to use 慴

慴 is a more formal term and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. Learners should be cautious with tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with similar-sounding characters. It's often used in literary or descriptive contexts.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 慴 with 恐惧 (kǒngjù), leading to sentences like '我感到恐惧' (I feel fear) instead of using 慴 for a more nuanced expression. Remember to choose the term based on the intensity of fear you wish to convey.

Write 慴

慴

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 慴?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

Word Family of 慴

Words Containing This Character6
震慑to awe震懾
威慑wēishèdeterrence威懾
慑shèafraid懾
慑服to overawe懾服
核威慑nuclear deterrence核威懾
威慑力量deterrent force威懾力量
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 慴

What does 震慑 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 慴

You can use 慴 to describe a feeling, such as '他感到慴' (He feels terrified).

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 慴?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab