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譴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
譴qiǎnto scold, to reprimand, to abusex, 20 strokes, radical 言
qiǎn(qian3) T3
  1. 1to scold, to reprimand, to abuse
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March 24, 2026

譴qiǎn(qian3)

The character 譴 (qiǎn) means to scold, reprimand, or abuse someone verbally. It is often used in formal contexts, such as in legal or official documents, to denote criticism or condemnation of someone's actions. This term carries a strong connotation of disapproval and is usually directed towards misconduct or unacceptable behavior.

Strokes20Radical言
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, public reprimands are often considered more serious and can affect a person's social standing. The use of 譴 reflects the importance of maintaining social harmony and the consequences of failing to do so.

Memory Tip

Imagine a stern teacher (the radical 言, meaning 'speech') giving a lecture (the radical 虍, resembling a tiger, symbolizing ferocity) on why scolding is sometimes necessary. The sound 'qiǎn' can be remembered with the image of a 'cane' used by the teacher, emphasizing discipline.

Meanings of 譴

qiǎn(qian3)
1to scold, to reprimand, to abuse
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 譴

譴Simplified
20Strokes
言Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 譴

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Podcast: 譴

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AI Study Notes for 譴

Quick Contrast

指责 (zhǐzé) vs 譴 (qiǎn) — use 譴 when emphasizing formal condemnation, while 指责 is more general and can imply blame without the same level of formality.

Usage Notes

When using 譴, be mindful that it is more formal and may not be appropriate in casual conversations. A common mistake is to confuse it with other reprimanding terms like 责备 (zébèi), which is less severe. Typical collocations include 譴责 (qiǎnzé, meaning 'to condemn') and 譴責行為 (qiǎnzé xíngwéi, meaning 'reprimanding behavior').

HSK Study Tips

Although 譴 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding this word enhances your comprehension of formal language in Chinese. It connects to HSK Level 5 vocabulary related to criticism and conflict, such as 批评 (pīpíng) and 责备 (zébèi). Focus on context and tone when using this word.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is using 譴 in casual conversation, where a less severe term like 责备 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我譴你' (I scold you) in a friendly chat is too severe; instead, use '我批评你' (I criticize you).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 譴

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Etymology of 譴

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

speech

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 譴

  1. 1The meaning half言 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half遣 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 譴? 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 譴?

Decomposition of 譴

IDS Structure⿰言遣
譴Full Character
=
言yan2
left
遣qian3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 譴?

How to say to scold, to reprimand, to abuse in Chinese

“to scold, to reprimand, to abuse” in Chinese is譴qiǎn

The character 譴 (qiǎn) means to scold, reprimand, or abuse someone verbally. It is often used in formal contexts, such as in legal or official documents, to denote criticism or condemnation of someone's actions. This term carries a strong connotation of disapproval and is usually directed towards misconduct or unacceptable behavior.

When to use 譴

When using 譴, be mindful that it is more formal and may not be appropriate in casual conversations. A common mistake is to confuse it with other reprimanding terms like 责备 (zébèi), which is less severe. Typical collocations include 譴责 (qiǎnzé, meaning 'to condemn') and 譴責行為 (qiǎnzé xíngwéi, meaning 'reprimanding behavior').

譴 or something close to it

指责 (zhǐzé) vs 譴 (qiǎn) — use 譴 when emphasizing formal condemnation, while 指责 is more general and can imply blame without the same level of formality.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is using 譴 in casual conversation, where a less severe term like 责备 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我譴你' (I scold you) in a friendly chat is too severe; instead, use '我批评你' (I criticize you).

Write 譴

譴

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

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Word Family of 譴

Words Containing This Character3
谴责qiǎnzéto denounce譴責
谴qiǎnto censure譴
自谴to blame oneself自譴
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 谴责 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 譴

No, 譴 is typically used in more formal contexts, such as legal discussions or official reprimands.

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