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誹 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
誹fěito condemn, to slander, to vilifyzg, 15 strokes, radical 言
fěi(fei3) T3
  1. 1to condemn, to slander, to vilify
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

誹fěi(fei3)

The character 誹 (fěi) means to slander, vilify, or condemn someone, usually through negative speech or accusations. It is often used in contexts involving defamation or malicious gossip, indicating a serious damage to someone's reputation. This term carries a strong negative connotation and is used mainly in formal or literary contexts.

Strokes15Radical言
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, reputation is highly valued, and slander (誹) can lead to severe social consequences. This character is often used in discussions about defamation cases, which are taken very seriously in Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'fay' (sounds like 'fěi') who spreads false rumors about others. The character 誹 can be broken down into the radical 語 (yǔ), which relates to speech, and 非 (fēi), meaning 'not' or 'to negate.' Visualize a speech bubble with a big 'X' to represent slanderous speech that is false and damaging.

Meanings of 誹

fěi(fei3)
1to condemn, to slander, to vilify
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 誹

誹Simplified
15Strokes
言Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 誹

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Podcast: 誹

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AI Study Notes for 誹

Quick Contrast

中伤 (zhōngshāng) - use 誹 (fěi) when referring specifically to slanderous speech, while 中伤 (zhōngshāng) can also imply inflicting harm more generally.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 誹 with other similar-sounding words that do not carry the same negative connotation. It's important to use this term in formal contexts as it reflects serious accusations and should be avoided in casual conversation. Be cautious with tone; the third tone (fěi) must be pronounced correctly to convey the intended meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 誹 is not included in the official HSK levels, it is useful for learners at higher levels, particularly in understanding nuanced vocabulary related to legal or social discussions. Students should focus on its usage in context and familiarize themselves with synonyms and antonyms to fully grasp its implications.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 誹 with 說 (shuō), which means 'to say' or 'to speak,' leading to incorrect phrases like '我誹他' (Wǒ fěi tā) intending to mean 'I say to him.' The correct usage should focus on the context of slander.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 誹

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Etymology of 誹

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 非 represents the sound. Simplified form of 誹.

Memory Hint

speech

Semantic (meaning)言
+
Phonetic (sound)非
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 誹

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 非 represents the sound. Simplified form of 誹.

  1. 1The meaning half言 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half非 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayspeech
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 誹? 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 誹?

Decomposition of 誹

IDS Structure⿰言非
誹Full Character
=
言yan2
left
非Fei1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 誹?

How to say to condemn, to slander, to vilify in Chinese

“to condemn, to slander, to vilify” in Chinese is誹fěi

The character 誹 (fěi) means to slander, vilify, or condemn someone, usually through negative speech or accusations. It is often used in contexts involving defamation or malicious gossip, indicating a serious damage to someone's reputation. This term carries a strong negative connotation and is used mainly in formal or literary contexts.

When to use 誹

Common mistakes include confusing 誹 with other similar-sounding words that do not carry the same negative connotation. It's important to use this term in formal contexts as it reflects serious accusations and should be avoided in casual conversation. Be cautious with tone; the third tone (fěi) must be pronounced correctly to convey the intended meaning.

誹 or something close to it

中伤 (zhōngshāng) - use 誹 (fěi) when referring specifically to slanderous speech, while 中伤 (zhōngshāng) can also imply inflicting harm more generally.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 誹 with 說 (shuō), which means 'to say' or 'to speak,' leading to incorrect phrases like '我誹他' (Wǒ fěi tā) intending to mean 'I say to him.' The correct usage should focus on the context of slander.

Write 誹

誹

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 誹

Words Containing This Character2
诽谤fěibàngto slander誹謗
诽fěislander誹
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 诽谤 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 誹

Both characters relate to slander, but 誹 is more commonly used in formal contexts while 诽 (fěi) is less common and often seen in literary texts.

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