to blame, to complain, to hate; enmity, resentment
HSK 7, v, 9 strokes, radical 心, rank #7219, 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#7219DifficultyHard
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.
Memory Mnemonic
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.
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.
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.
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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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.
The officials felt taken for granted and grumbled loudly.
6
邻桌的一位男士当时正高声地抱怨着。
lín zhuō de yī wèi nán shì dāng shí zhèng gāo shēng dì bào yuàn zháo。
At a nearby table a man was complaining in a loud voice.
7
科恩抱怨克拉维斯非要在他的买卖中插上一脚。
kē ēn bào yuàn kè lā wéi sī fēi yào zài tā de mǎi mài zhōng chā shàng yī jiǎo。
Cohen complained that Kravis was muscling in on his deal.
8
他过来抱怨音乐的音量太高了。
tā guò lái bào yuàn yīn lè de yīn liáng tài gāo le。
He came to complain about the volume of the music.
9
他是个喜欢抱怨的老头，但是她对他很包容。
tā shì gè xǐ huān bào yuàn de lǎo tóu， ， dàn shì tā duì tā hěn bāo。
He's an old grouch but she puts up with him.
10
其他剧院观众抱怨说，琼在台上只呆了半个小时。
qí tā jù yuàn guān zhòng bào yuàn shuō， ， qióng zài tái shàng zhī dāi le bàn gè xiǎo。
Other theatre-goers complained Joan was on stage for just half an hour.
Cultural Notes for 怨
🏮Cultural insight
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.
Word Family of 怨
Compounds2
惌
葾
Words Containing This Character20
抱怨bàoyuànto complain
怨yuànto blame
恩怨ēnyuànresentment
怨恨yuànhènto resent
埋怨mányuànto complain
怨言yuànyáncomplaint
怨气yuànqìgrievance怨氣
哀怨grief
怨天尤人(idiom) to blame the gods and accuse others
幽怨hidden bitterness, secret grudge
任劳任怨to work hard without complaint (idiom)任勞任怨
怨声载道discontent is openly voiced怨聲載道
积怨grievance積怨
无怨无悔no complaints無怨無悔
结怨to arouse dislike結怨
宿怨an old grudge
仇怨hatred and desire for revenge
怨毒rancor
怨不得cannot blame
民怨popular grievance
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 抱怨 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 怨
Yes, 怨 primarily conveys negative emotions such as blame, resentment, or complaints.
It's generally more appropriate in informal contexts; in formal writing, consider using more neutral terms.
You can say: '我对他的怨恨很深' (Wǒ duì tā de yuànhèn hěn shēn), which means 'I have deep resentment towards him.'
