HSK 7, v, 9 strokes, radical 心, rank #7219, Very Hard
怨
yuàn
to complain
HSK 7, v, 9 strokes, radical 心, rank #7219, Very Hard
怨
yuàn
to blame, to complain, to hate; enmity, resentment
HSK 7, v, 9 strokes, radical 心, rank #7219, Very Hard
yuàn(yuan4) T4
1to blame
2to complain
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March 24, 2026
怨yuàn(yuan4)
The character 怨 (yuàn) conveys a sense of blame or resentment towards someone or something. It is often used in contexts where a person feels wronged and expresses dissatisfaction or hatred. Common phrases include '怨恨' (yuànhèn), meaning 'to resent,' and '怨言' (yuànyán), meaning 'complaints.'
Strokes9Radical心Frequency#7219DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing resentment or grievances is often seen as a way to release frustrations. The concept of '怨' can be related to traditional Chinese beliefs in balance and harmony, where unresolved feelings may disrupt one's peace.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person (represented by the radical 心, meaning heart) who is feeling a heavy burden (the component 怨) on their heart due to resentment. The 'yuàn' sounds like 'yawn,' which you might do when feeling discontented or complaining about something.
Meanings of 怨
yuàn(yuan4)
1to blame
2to complain
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 怨
怨Simplified
9Strokes
心Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#7219Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 怨
Podcast: 怨
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AI Study Notes for 怨
Quick Contrast
怨 (yuàn) vs 恨 (hèn) — use 怨 when expressing blame or resentment, while 恨 is stronger, denoting hatred.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 怨 with other similar characters like 恨 (hèn), which means 'hate' but carries a stronger connotation. This word is more commonly used in informal contexts, so it's important to consider your audience when using it. Common collocations include '怨气' (yuànqì, resentment) and '怨恨' (yuànhèn, to resent).
HSK Study Tips
While 怨 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it can be useful for understanding emotional expressions in advanced levels. Students at HSK level 5 or above should focus on its nuanced meanings and how it relates to other emotional vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 怨 with other emotional terms like 恨 (hèn) and complain that they are interchangeable. A correct example is: '我不怨你' (Wǒ bù yuàn nǐ), meaning 'I don’t blame you,' instead of using 恨.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 怨
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Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 夗 represents the sound.
1The meaning half心 carries the sense.
2The sound half夗 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayheart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 怨? 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 怨?
Decomposition of 怨
IDS Structure⿱夗心
怨Full Character
=
夗yuan4
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 怨?
How to say to blame in Chinese
“to blame” in Chinese is怨yuàn
The character 怨 (yuàn) conveys a sense of blame or resentment towards someone or something. It is often used in contexts where a person feels wronged and expresses dissatisfaction or hatred. Common phrases include '怨恨' (yuànhèn), meaning 'to resent,' and '怨言' (yuànyán), meaning 'complaints.'
When to use 怨
Be cautious not to confuse 怨 with other similar characters like 恨 (hèn), which means 'hate' but carries a stronger connotation. This word is more commonly used in informal contexts, so it's important to consider your audience when using it. Common collocations include '怨气' (yuànqì, resentment) and '怨恨' (yuànhèn, to resent).
怨 or something close to it
怨 (yuàn) vs 恨 (hèn) — use 怨 when expressing blame or resentment, while 恨 is stronger, denoting hatred.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 怨 with other emotional terms like 恨 (hèn) and complain that they are interchangeable. A correct example is: '我不怨你' (Wǒ bù yuàn nǐ), meaning 'I don’t blame you,' instead of using 恨.
Write 怨
怨
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Practice writing 怨 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 怨
怨 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 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.
