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謇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
謇jiǎnto stutter; to speak boldlyg, 17 strokes, radical 言
謇jiǎnto speak out boldlyunknown, 17 strokes, radical 言
jiǎn(jian3) T3
  1. 1to stutter; to speak boldly
  2. 2to speak out boldly
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

謇jiǎn(jian3)

The character 謇 (jiǎn) primarily means 'to stutter' or 'to speak with difficulty.' It can also imply speaking boldly or articulating one's thoughts courageously. This dual meaning captures both a struggle in communication and an assertive expression, making it versatile in different contexts.

Strokes17Radical言
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the way one speaks is often linked to social status and confidence. The ability to speak boldly or assertively is typically valued, especially in professional settings, reflecting the importance of clear communication.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person trying to speak but getting stuck, stuttering over their words, represented by the character 謇. The left part '言' (yán) symbolizes speech, while '简' (jiǎn) hints at simplicity or straightforwardness. Visualize someone who, despite stuttering, finally finds their voice and speaks out boldly, linking the pronunciation 'jiǎn' to the idea of speaking clearly.

Meanings of 謇

jiǎn(jian3)
1to stutter; to speak boldly
2to speak out boldly
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 謇

謇Simplified
17Strokes
言Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 謇

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Podcast: 謇

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AI Study Notes for 謇

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone of the word; it can be easy to confuse with similar-sounding terms. 謇 is more formal and might not be commonly used in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 謇舌 (stutter) and 謇言 (speak boldly).

HSK Study Tips

While 謇 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it complements vocabulary related to communication and expression. Focus on understanding context and usage in relation to other words about speaking or expressing ideas.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 謇 with 讲 (jiǎng), which means 'to speak' or 'to talk.' For example, saying '我会讲得很謇' (I can speak very jiǎn) is incorrect; it should be '我会讲得很流利' (I can speak fluently).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 謇

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Etymology of 謇

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

speech

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 謇

  1. 1The meaning half言 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half宀 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 謇? 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 謇?

Decomposition of 謇

IDS Structure⿳宀？言
謇Full Character
=
宀gai4
top
言yan2
middle
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 謇?

How to say to stutter; to speak boldly in Chinese

“to stutter; to speak boldly” in Chinese is謇jiǎn

The character 謇 (jiǎn) primarily means 'to stutter' or 'to speak with difficulty.' It can also imply speaking boldly or articulating one's thoughts courageously. This dual meaning captures both a struggle in communication and an assertive expression, making it versatile in different contexts.

When to use 謇

Be cautious with the tone of the word; it can be easy to confuse with similar-sounding terms. 謇 is more formal and might not be commonly used in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 謇舌 (stutter) and 謇言 (speak boldly).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 謇 with 讲 (jiǎng), which means 'to speak' or 'to talk.' For example, saying '我会讲得很謇' (I can speak very jiǎn) is incorrect; it should be '我会讲得很流利' (I can speak fluently).

Write 謇

謇

Practice writing 謇 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 謇

Words Containing This Character1
謇jiǎnto speak out boldly
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 謇 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 謇

It's less common in casual speech but can be found in formal discussions or literature.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 謇?

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.