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詆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
to slander; to condem, to reproachzg, 12 strokes, radical 言, Very Hard
(di3) T3
  1. 1to slander; to condem, to reproach
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March 24, 2026

(di3)

The character 詆 (dǐ) means to slander, condemn, or reproach someone, often in a public or harsh manner. It is typically used in contexts involving accusations or negative judgments about a person's character or actions.

Strokes12RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese society, maintaining one's reputation is crucial, making the act of slandering particularly serious. Accusations can lead to significant social consequences, reflecting the importance of face (面子) in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person pointing fingers (the radical '言' meaning 'speech') while whispering harmful words that hurt someone’s reputation. The sound 'dǐ' can remind you of 'deceit,' which relates to the act of slandering.

Meanings of 詆

(di3)
1to slander; to condem, to reproach
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 詆

Simplified
12Strokes
Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 詆

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AI Study Notes for 詆

Quick Contrast

诽 (fěi) - use 詆 (dǐ) when emphasizing public condemnation, whereas 诽 (fěi) focuses more on slander without the public aspect.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person pointing fingers (the radical '言' meaning 'speech') while whispering harmful words that hurt someone’s reputation. The sound 'dǐ' can remind you of 'deceit,' which relates to the act of slandering.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 詆 with similar sounding words that have neutral or positive meanings. It is generally used in formal writing or serious discussions rather than casual conversation. Common collocations include phrases like '詆毁' (to slander) and '詆责' (to reproach).

HSK Study Tips

Although 詆 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding its meaning is valuable for learners aiming to engage with more complex discussions. Focus on its usage in formal contexts and how it relates to other words about judgment and criticism.

Cultural Note

In Chinese society, maintaining one's reputation is crucial, making the act of slandering particularly serious. Accusations can lead to significant social consequences, reflecting the importance of face (面子) in Chinese culture.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 詆 with words that have similar sounds, leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我詆责他' (I slander him) is incorrect; it should be '我责备他' (I reproach him) if you mean to criticize without slander.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 詆

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Etymology of 詆

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 氐 represents the sound. Simplified form of 詆.

Memory Hint

speech

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 詆?

Decomposition of 詆

IDS Structure⿰言氐
Full Character
=
yan2
left
Di1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 詆?

Write 詆

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

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Cultural Notes for 詆

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese society, maintaining one's reputation is crucial, making the act of slandering particularly serious. Accusations can lead to significant social consequences, reflecting the importance of face (面子) in Chinese culture.

Word Family of 詆

Words Containing This Character2
诋毁to vilify詆毀
to defame
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 诋毁 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 詆

You can say '他在公众场合詆毁了我' (He slandered me in public).