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煢 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
煢qióngalone, desolate; without friends or familyx, 13 strokes, radical 炏
qióng(qiong2)qiong T2
  1. 1alone, desolate; without friends or family
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March 24, 2026

煢qióng(qiong2)

The character 煢 (qióng) conveys a sense of loneliness or desolation, often used to describe someone who is isolated or without companions. It can express a deep emotional state, reflecting feelings of abandonment or solitude in both social and emotional contexts.

Strokes13Radical炏
Cultural note

In Chinese literature and poetry, themes of loneliness and desolation are prevalent, often reflecting the values of introspection and the appreciation of solitude. The character 煢 can evoke the imagery found in classical poems that explore the emotional landscape of isolation.

Memory tip

Imagine a lonely candle (the radical 灯 represents light) flickering in a dark room, symbolizing a person who feels alone and desolate. The sound 'qióng' can remind you of a quiet, longing song echoing through an empty space, emphasizing the feeling of solitude.

Meanings of 煢

qióng(qiong2)
1alone, desolate; without friends or family
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 煢

煢Simplified
13Strokes
炏Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 煢

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Podcast: 煢

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AI study notes for 煢

Quick Contrast

孤 (gū, lonely) — use 煢 when emphasizing emotional desolation rather than just being alone.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 煢 with similar characters that convey different meanings of loneliness or isolation, such as 孤 (gū) which means 'alone' but does not carry the same emotional weight. This word is more formal and literary, so it is less common in everyday conversation.

HSK Study Tips

While 煢 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be related to HSK Level 5 words like 孤独 (gūdú, loneliness) and 寂寞 (jìmò, loneliness) which describe similar feelings. Focus on recognizing how 煢 fits into discussions about emotional states.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 煢 with 孤 (gū), leading to incorrect usage in contexts where emotional depth is needed. For example, saying '我感觉孤' (wǒ gǎnjué gū) instead of '我感觉煢' (wǒ gǎnjué qióng) misses the nuance of desolation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 煢

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Etymology of 煢

Decomposition of 煢

IDS Structure⿳炏冖卂
煢Full character
=
炏kai4
top
冖mi4
middle
卂xun4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Parts

Which of these is part of 煢?

How to say alone, desolate; without friends or family in Chinese

“alone, desolate; without friends or family” in Chinese is煢qióng

The character 煢 (qióng) conveys a sense of loneliness or desolation, often used to describe someone who is isolated or without companions. It can express a deep emotional state, reflecting feelings of abandonment or solitude in both social and emotional contexts.

When to use 煢

Be careful not to confuse 煢 with similar characters that convey different meanings of loneliness or isolation, such as 孤 (gū) which means 'alone' but does not carry the same emotional weight. This word is more formal and literary, so it is less common in everyday conversation.

煢 or something close to it

孤 (gū, lonely) — use 煢 when emphasizing emotional desolation rather than just being alone.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 煢 with 孤 (gū), leading to incorrect usage in contexts where emotional depth is needed. For example, saying '我感觉孤' (wǒ gǎnjué gū) instead of '我感觉煢' (wǒ gǎnjué qióng) misses the nuance of desolation.

Write 煢

煢

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

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Word Family of 煢

Words containing this character2
茕qióngalone煢
茕茕孑立to stand all alone煢煢孑立
Exercise 1 of 2

Characters with 煢

What does 茕 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 煢

You can use 煢 in literary contexts or when discussing feelings of loneliness in a more poetic or formal manner.

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