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恩 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
恩
ēn
kindness, mercy, charity
nr, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #642, Easy
恩
ēn
grace
unknown, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #642, Easy
ēn(en1)en T1
1kindness, mercy, charity
2grace
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March 24, 2026
恩(㤙)ēn(en1)
The character 恩 (ēn) conveys the idea of kindness, mercy, or grace bestowed upon someone. It is often used in contexts related to benevolence and goodwill, particularly in relationships where one party has received a favor or assistance from another. This term can also be associated with gratitude for such kindness.
Strokes10Radical心Frequency#642DifficultyEasy
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 恩 is deeply tied to Confucian values, where showing kindness and gratitude is essential in maintaining harmonious relationships. The term often appears in discussions about familial duties and moral obligations.
Memory tip
Imagine a warm embrace (恩) that wraps around you, symbolizing the kindness and mercy you receive from others. The character resembles a person showing affection, reminding you of the grace and goodwill shared in relationships.
Meanings of 恩
ēn(en1)
1kindness, mercy, charity
2grace
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 恩 means.
About 恩
恩Simplified
㤙Traditional
10Strokes
心Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#642Frequency Rank
Podcast: 恩
Podcast: 恩
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AI study notes for 恩
Quick Contrast
恩 (ēn) vs 惠 (huì) — use 恩 when emphasizing personal kindness or grace, while 惠 generally refers to benefits or favors that are more formal or institutional.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 恩 with other characters conveying similar meanings, so it's crucial to understand its specific context of kindness. This term is generally used in both formal and informal settings, but is especially prevalent in literary and poetic expressions. Be cautious of tone; a mispronunciation may lead to confusion with unrelated words.
HSK Study Tips
Though 恩 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it is relevant for learners at higher levels who encounter classical literature or philosophical texts. Focus on its usage in idiomatic expressions involving kindness and gratitude, as well as its connections to more common words like 感谢 (gǎnxiè, to thank).
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 恩 with 恩情 (ēnqíng), which specifically refers to acts of kindness or favor. An incorrect usage might be saying '我有恩' (Wǒ yǒu ēn) when they mean to express gratitude; instead, they should say '我感激' (Wǒ gǎnjī).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 恩
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 恩 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
恩 = 心 + 因. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 恩
IDS Structure⿱因心
恩Full character
=
因yin1
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 恩?
How to say kindness, mercy, charity in Chinese
“kindness, mercy, charity” in Chinese is恩ēn
The character 恩 (ēn) conveys the idea of kindness, mercy, or grace bestowed upon someone. It is often used in contexts related to benevolence and goodwill, particularly in relationships where one party has received a favor or assistance from another. This term can also be associated with gratitude for such kindness.
When to use 恩
Learners often confuse 恩 with other characters conveying similar meanings, so it's crucial to understand its specific context of kindness. This term is generally used in both formal and informal settings, but is especially prevalent in literary and poetic expressions. Be cautious of tone; a mispronunciation may lead to confusion with unrelated words.
恩 or something close to it
恩 (ēn) vs 惠 (huì) — use 恩 when emphasizing personal kindness or grace, while 惠 generally refers to benefits or favors that are more formal or institutional.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes confuse 恩 with 恩情 (ēnqíng), which specifically refers to acts of kindness or favor. An incorrect usage might be saying '我有恩' (Wǒ yǒu ēn) when they mean to express gratitude; instead, they should say '我感激' (Wǒ gǎnjī).
Write 恩
恩
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Grammar patterns of 恩
恩 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
弗兰开始不由自主地唠叨起乔____是怎样无可避免地被扣留的。
Fran began her automatic patter about how Jon had been unavoidably detained.
Example sentences for 恩 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
弗兰开始不由自主地唠叨起乔恩是怎样无可避免地被扣留的。
fú lán kāishǐ bùyóuzìzhǔ dì láodao qǐ qiáo ēn shì zěnyàng wú kě bìmiǎn dì bèi kòuliú de。
Fran began her automatic patter about how Jon had been unavoidably detained.
2
过了一会儿，科恩接起电话。“喂？”
guò le yíhuìr， kē ēn jiē qǐ diànhuà。“ wèi？”
A moment later, Cohen picked up the phone. "Hello?"
The Colonel bowed his head and whispered a prayer of thanksgiving.
4
这将是我们参加过的最盛大的感恩节晚餐。
zhè jiāng shì wǒmen cānjiā guò de zuì shèngdà de gǎnēn jié wǎncān。
It's going to be the most magnificent Thanksgiving dinner we ever had.
5
他们还留下了一张名片，上面印着肖恩·林奇的名字。
tāmen hái liúxia le yī zhāng míngpiàn， shàngmiàn yìn zhe Xiāo ēn· lín jī de míngzi。
They also left a card, imprinted with the name Sean Lynch.
6
科恩抱怨克拉维斯非要在他的买卖中插上一脚。
kē ēn bàoyuàn kè lā wéi Sī fēi yào zài tā de mǎimai zhōng chā shàng yī jiǎo。
Cohen complained that Kravis was muscling in on his deal.
7
伊莱恩转过身，懒懒地挥了一下手就走了。
yī lái ēn zhuǎi guò shēn， lǎn lǎn dì huī le yíxià shǒu jiù zǒu le。
Elaine turned and waved her hand lazily and left.
8
我当时不知道罗恩有那么坚强的个性。
wǒ dāngshí bùzhī dào luō ēn yǒu nàme jiānqiáng de gèxìng。
I didn't know Ron had that much strength of character.
9
影片讲述的巴恩斯·沃利斯的故事有多少真实的成分？
yǐngpiàn jiǎngshù de Bā ēn Sī· wò lì Sī de gùshi yǒu duōshao zhēnshí de chéngfèn？
How far did the film tell the truth about Barnes Wallis?
10
伟大如穆恩者，也有状态起伏的时候。
wěidà rú mù ēn zhě， yě yǒu zhuàngtài qǐfú de shíhou。
Moon, as great as he is, has had some inconsistent days.
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Word Family of 恩
Compounds4
嗯ēn(a groaning sound)
摁ènto press with a finger
蒽ēnanthracene
煾ēn
Words containing this character19
恩ēnfavor
感恩gǎnēnto be grateful
感恩节gǎn’ēnjiéThanksgiving Day感恩節
周恩来zhōu’ēnláiZhou Enlai (1898-1976), Chinese communist leader, prime minister 1949-1976周恩來
肖恩xiāo’ēnSean, Shaun or Shawn (name)
恩怨ēnyuànresentment
布莱恩bùlái’ēnBrian (name)布萊恩
恩爱ēn’àiconjugal love恩愛
恩格斯ēngésīFriedrich Engels (1820-1895), socialist philosopher and one of the founder of Marxism
恩师ēnshī(greatly respected) teacher恩師
恩惠ēnhuìfavor
恩赐ēncìfavor恩賜
恩人ēnréna benefactor
白求恩báiqiú’ēnNorman Bethune (1890-1939), Canadian doctor, worked for communists in Spanish civil war and for Mao in Yan'an, where he died of blood poisoning
斯特恩sītè’ēnStern (name)
恩情ēnqíngkindness
忘恩负义wàng’ēnfùyìto kick a benefactor in the teeth忘恩負義
伯恩bó’ēnBern or Berne, capital of Switzerland (Tw)
谢恩xiè’ēnto thank sb for favor (esp. emperor or superior official)謝恩
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 恩
What does 嗯 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 恩
You can say, '我非常感激您的恩惠' (Wǒ fēicháng gǎnjī nín de ēnhuì), meaning 'I am very grateful for your kindness.'
恩 is more commonly found in written Chinese, especially in literature and formal speech, whereas in everyday conversation, simpler terms for kindness might be preferred.
Yes, expressions like '恩重如山' (ēn zhòng rú shān), meaning 'the grace is as heavy as a mountain,' illustrate the deep appreciation for someone's kindness.
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