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懇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
懇kěnsincere, earnest, cordialzg, 17 strokes, radical 心, rank #90860, Very Hard
kěn(ken3)ken T3
  1. 1sincere, earnest, cordial
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March 24, 2026

懇kěn(ken3)

The character 懇 (kěn) conveys a sense of sincerity and earnestness. It is often used to describe a heartfelt approach in requests or communications, suggesting a warm and cordial attitude. This term can be found in contexts where genuine feelings or intentions are emphasized, such as in personal interactions or formal speeches.

Strokes17Radical心Frequency#90860DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, sincerity is highly valued in personal and business relationships. The concept of being 懇 is essential when making requests or negotiating, as it reflects respect and the importance of building trust.

Memory tip

Imagine a kind-hearted person (characterized by the radical 心, meaning 'heart') kneeling (the radical 肯) to sincerely plead for something. Visualize them earning your trust through their earnestness and sincerity, which helps you remember the pronunciation 'kěn' and the core meaning of being genuine.

Meanings of 懇

kěn(ken3)
1sincere, earnest, cordial
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 懇

懇Simplified
17Strokes
心Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 懇

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Podcast: 懇

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AI Study Notes for 懇

Quick Contrast

恳 (kěn) vs 诚 (chéng) — choose 懇 (kěn) for a focus on heartfelt requests, while 诚 (chéng) emphasizes honesty and integrity.

Usage Notes

Learners should note that 懇 is more formal and may not be used in casual conversations. It frequently collocates with words like '求' (to request) and '請' (to ask), forming phrases that express earnest pleas. Be careful with the third tone, as mispronouncing it as a second tone can alter understanding.

HSK Study Tips

While 懇 is not categorized under HSK levels, it connects to other vocabulary expressing emotions or requests. Students should focus on its usage in formal contexts and practice it alongside other related terms to enhance their understanding of sincerity in communication.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 懇 with similar characters like 恳 (kěn), which has a different nuance. For example, saying '我很恳' instead of '我很懇' is incorrect; the correct form is '我很懇'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 懇

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Etymology of 懇

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

Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 艮 represents the sound. Simplified form of 懇.

Memory hint

heart

Semantic (meaning)心
+
Phonetic (sound)貇
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

懇 = 心 + 貇. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 懇

IDS Structure⿱貇心
懇Full character
=
貇kun1
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 懇?

How to say sincere, earnest, cordial in Chinese

“sincere, earnest, cordial” in Chinese is懇kěn

The character 懇 (kěn) conveys a sense of sincerity and earnestness. It is often used to describe a heartfelt approach in requests or communications, suggesting a warm and cordial attitude. This term can be found in contexts where genuine feelings or intentions are emphasized, such as in personal interactions or formal speeches.

When to use 懇

Learners should note that 懇 is more formal and may not be used in casual conversations. It frequently collocates with words like '求' (to request) and '請' (to ask), forming phrases that express earnest pleas. Be careful with the third tone, as mispronouncing it as a second tone can alter understanding.

懇 or something close to it

恳 (kěn) vs 诚 (chéng) — choose 懇 (kěn) for a focus on heartfelt requests, while 诚 (chéng) emphasizes honesty and integrity.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 懇 with similar characters like 恳 (kěn), which has a different nuance. For example, saying '我很恳' instead of '我很懇' is incorrect; the correct form is '我很懇'.

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懇

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Word Family of 懇

Words containing this character8
恳求kěnqiúto beg懇求
诚恳chéngkěnsincere誠懇
恳请to request earnestly懇請
恳kěnearnest懇
勤勤恳恳assiduous勤勤懇懇
恳切kěnqièearnest懇切
勤恳assiduous勤懇
恳辞to decline with sincere thanks懇辭
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 懇

What does 恳求 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 懇

You can say '我真心懇求你帮我' (I sincerely ask for your help) to express a heartfelt request.

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