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忍 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
忍
rěn
to bear
HSK 5, v, 7 strokes, radical 心, rank #2335, Hard
忍
rěn
to endure
HSK 5, v, 7 strokes, radical 心, rank #2335, Hard
忍
rěn
to tolerate
HSK 5, v, 7 strokes, radical 心, rank #2335, Hard
忍
rěn
to restrain oneself
HSK 5, v, 7 strokes, radical 心, rank #2335, Hard
忍
rěn
to endure, to bear, to suffer, to tolerate
HSK 5, v, 7 strokes, radical 心, rank #2335, Hard
rěn(ren3)ren T3
1to bear
2to endure
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March 24, 2026
忍rěn(ren3)
The character 忍 (rěn) means 'to bear' or 'to endure.' It is commonly used in contexts that involve patience or the ability to withstand difficult situations. This term is often associated with self-control and the capacity to tolerate hardships.
Strokes7Radical心Frequency#2335DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture,忍 is often associated with the virtue of patience and self-restraint, which is highly valued in social interactions and personal development. It reflects the philosophical influences of Confucianism, where enduring hardship is seen as a pathway to growth.
Memory tip
Imagine a person holding in their breath and trying to remain calm in a storm. The character 忍 is made up of the radical '心' (heart) at the bottom, symbolizing emotional endurance, and '忍' which suggests the action of holding back. Think of 'rěn' as 'run' away from the storm, but instead, you choose to endure it.
Meanings of 忍
rěn(ren3)
1to bear
2to endure
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 忍
忍Simplified
7Strokes
心Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#2335Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 忍
Podcast: 忍
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AI study notes for 忍
Quick Contrast
忍 (rěn) vs 忍耐 (rěnnài) — use 忍 for the act of enduring itself, while 忍耐 emphasizes the patience involved in enduring.
Usage Notes
Be careful with the tone when pronouncing 忍, as it is a third tone (rěn). Common collocations include 忍耐 (rěnnài, to endure) and 忍受 (rěnshòu, to tolerate). This word is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but should be used with care in sensitive discussions regarding personal struggles.
HSK Study Tips
Although 忍 is not currently in HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with HSK Level 3 words like 耐心 (nàixīn, patience) and 受 (shòu, to receive), as they all relate to endurance and tolerance. Students should focus on its pronunciation and usage in phrases.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 忍 with its synonyms and use it incorrectly. For example, saying '我忍了' (wǒ rěn le) could imply one has already endured something rather than expressing ongoing tolerance—correct usage would be '我在忍' (wǒ zài rěn) to indicate current endurance.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 忍
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The character 忍 (rěn) means 'to bear' or 'to endure.' It is commonly used in contexts that involve patience or the ability to withstand difficult situations. This term is often associated with self-control and the capacity to tolerate hardships.
When to use 忍
Be careful with the tone when pronouncing 忍, as it is a third tone (rěn). Common collocations include 忍耐 (rěnnài, to endure) and 忍受 (rěnshòu, to tolerate). This word is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but should be used with care in sensitive discussions regarding personal struggles.
忍 or something close to it
忍 (rěn) vs 忍耐 (rěnnài) — use 忍 for the act of enduring itself, while 忍耐 emphasizes the patience involved in enduring.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 忍 with its synonyms and use it incorrectly. For example, saying '我忍了' (wǒ rěn le) could imply one has already endured something rather than expressing ongoing tolerance—correct usage would be '我在忍' (wǒ zài rěn) to indicate current endurance.
Write 忍
忍
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Grammar patterns of 忍
忍 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 5 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.
In the face of difficulties, we must learn to bear and persevere.
12
为了实现梦想，他忍受了许多孤独和挫折。
Wèi le shíxiàn mèngxiǎng, tā rěnshòu le xǔduō gūdú hé cuòzhé.
To achieve his dreams, he bore a lot of loneliness and setbacks.
13
在长途飞行中，乘客需要忍受狭小的空间。
Zài chángtú fēixíng zhōng, chéngkè xūyào rěnshòu xiáxiǎo de kōngjiān.
During long flights, passengers need to bear the cramped space.
14
为了家庭的幸福，她忍受了工作的压力。
Wèi le jiātíng de xìngfú, tā rěnshòu le gōngzuò de yālì.
For the happiness of her family, she bore the pressure of work.
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Cultural Notes for 忍
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
While both cultures value patience, Western contexts may emphasize expressing emotions more openly, whereas in Chinese culture,忍 highlights the importance of internal strength and emotional control.
Word Family of 忍
Compounds6
涊niǎn
荵rěn
梕rèn
綛rěn
認rènto know, to recognize, to understand
躵rěn
Words containing this character20
忍rěnto bear
忍受rěnshòuto bear
忍不住rěnbuzhùcannot help
残忍cánrěncruel殘忍
容忍róngrěnto put up with
忍耐rěnnàito endure
忍心rěnxīnto have the heart to do sth
不忍bùrěndisturbed
忍无可忍rěnwúkěrěnthe last straw忍無可忍
惨不忍睹cǎnbùrěndǔappalling scenes of devastation慘不忍睹
难以忍受nányǐrěnshòuhard to endure難以忍受
隐忍yǐnrěnto bear patiently隱忍
忍让rěnràngto exercise forbearance忍讓
忍痛rěntòngto suffer
忍气吞声rěnqìtūnshēngto swallow one's anger忍氣吞聲
坚忍jiānrěnpersevering堅忍
忍俊不禁rěnjùnbùjīncannot help laughing
忍辱负重rěnrǔfùzhòngto endure humiliation as part of an important mission (idiom); to suffer in silence忍辱負重
忍耐力rěnnàilìpatience
忍痛割爱rěntònggē’àito resign oneself to part with what one treasures忍痛割愛
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 忍
What does 認 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 忍
Use 忍 (rěn) when you want to express the act of enduring or restraining oneself, especially in emotional contexts. In contrast, other characters like 承受 (chéngshòu) may be more appropriate for physical or external burdens. Understanding the context will help you choose the right term.
Some common phrases that include 忍 are '忍耐' (rěnnài) meaning to endure, and '忍不住' (rěn bù zhù) meaning unable to restrain oneself. These phrases highlight the character's meaning in various contexts, such as patience and emotional restraint.
忍 (rěn) means to bear, endure, or tolerate. It can also imply restraining oneself in various contexts, such as emotional control or patience. This character is often used in expressions related to perseverance and self-discipline.
To use 忍 (rěn) in a sentence, you might say '我忍不住哭了' (Wǒ rěn bù zhù kū le), which means 'I couldn't help but cry.' This illustrates the concept of enduring or restraining in an emotional context. You can also use it in phrases like '忍耐' (rěnnài), meaning to endure or be patient.
You can say '我忍不住了' (wǒ rěn bù zhù le), which means 'I can't bear it anymore.'
Synonyms include 忍耐 (rěnnài) and 忍受 (rěnshòu), both meaning to endure or tolerate.
Yes, the idiom '忍辱负重' (rěn rǔ fù zhòng) means to endure humiliation for a greater purpose.
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