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March 24, 2026
尴(尷)gān(gan1)
The character 尴 (gān) conveys feelings of embarrassment or awkwardness. It is often used in social contexts where someone feels uncomfortable or ill at ease, such as making a mistake in front of others or being in an embarrassing situation.
Strokes13Radical尢Frequency#94586DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
The feeling of embarrassment is significant in Chinese culture, where saving face is important. Situations that cause 尴 can lead to social discomfort, making it essential to navigate interpersonal interactions carefully.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person at a party trying to fit in but accidentally spilling a drink. The character 尴 can be visualized as someone 'gān' (embarrassed) trying to clean up the mess, representing their awkwardness. The left side looks like a person, while the right side can remind you of a 'difficult' situation.
Meanings of 尴
gān(gan1)
1embarrassed
2ill at ease
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 尴
尴Simplified
尷Traditional
13Strokes
尢Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#65535Frequency Rank
Podcast: 尴
Podcast: 尴
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AI Study Notes for 尴
Quick Contrast
尴 (gān) vs 忌 (jì) — use 尴 for social embarrassment, while 忌 refers to being taboo or having a dislike.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 尴 (gān) with similar-sounding words; it specifically relates to embarrassment and is often used in informal contexts. Common collocations include 尴尬 (gāngà), which means 'awkward.' Remember to use the correct tone to convey the feeling accurately.
HSK Study Tips
Though 尴 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it is useful for intermediate learners working on social interactions. Focus on using it in sentences about personal experiences to internalize its meaning.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 尴 with similar characters like 感 (gǎn), which means 'feel.' An incorrect sentence might be '我感尴尬' ('I feel embarrassed'), which should be corrected to '我觉得尴尬' ('I feel embarrassed').
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 尴
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Phonosemantic compound. 尢 represents the meaning and 监 represents the sound. Simplified form of 尷.
1The meaning half尢 carries the sense.
2The sound half监 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaylame
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 尴? 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 尴?
Decomposition of 尴
IDS Structure⿺尢监
尴Full Character
=
尢you2
enclosing
监jian1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 尴?
How to say embarrassed in Chinese
“embarrassed” in Chinese is尴gān
The character 尴 (gān) conveys feelings of embarrassment or awkwardness. It is often used in social contexts where someone feels uncomfortable or ill at ease, such as making a mistake in front of others or being in an embarrassing situation.
When to use 尴
Be careful not to confuse 尴 (gān) with similar-sounding words; it specifically relates to embarrassment and is often used in informal contexts. Common collocations include 尴尬 (gāngà), which means 'awkward.' Remember to use the correct tone to convey the feeling accurately.
尴 or something close to it
尴 (gān) vs 忌 (jì) — use 尴 for social embarrassment, while 忌 refers to being taboo or having a dislike.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 尴 with similar characters like 感 (gǎn), which means 'feel.' An incorrect sentence might be '我感尴尬' ('I feel embarrassed'), which should be corrected to '我觉得尴尬' ('I feel embarrassed').
Write 尴
尴
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Practice writing 尴 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 尴
尴 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
