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谇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
谇suìto slander, to defame; to berateg, 10 strokes, radical 讠
谇suìabuseunknown, 10 strokes, radical 讠
suì(sui4) T4
  1. 1to slander, to defame; to berate
  2. 2abuse
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March 24, 2026

谇(誶)suì(sui4)

The character 谇 (suì) refers to the act of slandering or defaming someone, often involving harsh criticism or abusive language. It is commonly used in contexts where someone's reputation is unjustly tarnished, highlighting the severity of the words used against them.

Strokes10Radical讠
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, maintaining one's reputation is highly valued, and slander can have significant social consequences. The concept of face (面子, miànzi) is deeply intertwined with the implications of 谇.

Memory Tip

Think of 谇 (suì) as a 'sue' for slander. Imagine a courtroom where someone is being sued for spreading false rumors, which helps connect the sound 'suì' with the meaning of defamation.

Meanings of 谇

suì(sui4)
1to slander, to defame; to berate
2abuse
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 谇

谇Simplified
誶Traditional
10Strokes
讠Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 谇

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Podcast: 谇

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AI Study Notes for 谇

Usage Notes

It's important to use 谇 in contexts where you are discussing serious accusations or criticisms, as it carries a heavy connotation. Be cautious with tone, as using it inappropriately might lead to misunderstandings about the severity of the situation.

HSK Study Tips

Though not included in HSK levels, understanding 谇 can enhance your vocabulary around legal and social issues. Focus on its relation to other words about reputation and communication, such as 诽谤 (fěibàng, to slander) and 批评 (pīpíng, to criticize).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 谇 with similar sounding words like 随 (suí, to follow) due to pronunciation similarities. It's important to remember that 谇 is specifically about slander, while 随 relates to following or accompanying.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 谇

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Etymology of 谇

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

speech

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 谇

  1. 1The meaning half讠 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half卒 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 谇? 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 谇?

Decomposition of 谇

IDS Structure⿰讠卒
谇Full Character
=
讠yan2
left
卒cu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 谇?

How to say to slander, to defame; to berate in Chinese

“to slander, to defame; to berate” in Chinese is谇suì

The character 谇 (suì) refers to the act of slandering or defaming someone, often involving harsh criticism or abusive language. It is commonly used in contexts where someone's reputation is unjustly tarnished, highlighting the severity of the words used against them.

When to use 谇

It's important to use 谇 in contexts where you are discussing serious accusations or criticisms, as it carries a heavy connotation. Be cautious with tone, as using it inappropriately might lead to misunderstandings about the severity of the situation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 谇 with similar sounding words like 随 (suí, to follow) due to pronunciation similarities. It's important to remember that 谇 is specifically about slander, while 随 relates to following or accompanying.

Write 谇

谇

Practice writing 谇 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 谇

Words Containing This Character1
谇suìabuse誶
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 谇 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 谇

No, it is a formal term and should be used in serious contexts, especially when discussing issues of reputation.

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