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悍 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
悍hàncourageous, brave; violentzg, 10 strokes, radical 忄, rank #7753, Hard
悍hànheroicunknown, 10 strokes, radical 忄, rank #7753, Hard
悍hànintrepidunknown, 10 strokes, radical 忄, rank #7753, Hard
悍hànvaliantunknown, 10 strokes, radical 忄, rank #7753, Hard
悍hàndauntlessunknown, 10 strokes, radical 忄, rank #7753, Hard
悍hànfierceunknown, 10 strokes, radical 忄, rank #7753, Hard
悍hànferociousunknown, 10 strokes, radical 忄, rank #7753, Hard
hàn(han4)han T4
  1. 1courageous, brave; violent
  2. 2heroic
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March 24, 2026

悍hàn(han4)

The character 悍 (hàn) conveys a sense of bravery and fierceness, often associated with heroic qualities. It can describe a person who is courageous in the face of danger or someone who exhibits violent behavior. Commonly used in contexts relating to valor, strength, or aggression, this character often carries a connotation of being fearlessly bold.

Strokes10Radical忄Frequency#7753DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of bravery is often celebrated in historical tales and legends, where heroes display 悍 qualities in their quests. Characters who embody this trait are commonly featured in Chinese martial arts films and folklore.

Memory tip

Imagine a fierce warrior (the meaning of 悍) standing boldly on a mountain (the character's form), with the left part (忄) representing a heart full of courage and the right part (汗) representing sweat, which he earns through his brave deeds. The pronunciation 'hàn' sounds like 'hand,' suggesting a warrior uses their hand in battle.

Meanings of 悍

hàn(han4)
1courageous, brave; violent
2heroic
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 悍 means.

About 悍

悍Simplified
10Strokes
忄Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 悍

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Podcast: 悍

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AI study notes for 悍

Quick Contrast

勇 (yǒng) - use 勇 for general bravery or courage, while 悍 emphasizes fierceness and aggression.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 悍 with similar characters that imply gentleness or peace, as this word specifically denotes aggression or bravery. It is more commonly used in informal contexts, such as describing a brave person in stories or media. The tone is consistent, but learners should be cautious with the character's aggressive implications when using it.

HSK Study Tips

Although not included in HSK levels, understanding 悍 can enhance your vocabulary related to personal qualities and emotions, connecting it to other words like 勇 (yǒng, brave) and 猛 (měng, fierce). Focus on its use in describing characters in literature or media, as well as its collocations with other words indicating strength.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 悍 to describe someone who is simply brave without the aggressive connotation, such as saying '他是一个悍的人' (tā shì yīgè hàn de rén) to mean 'he is a brave person,' which could imply he is overly fierce. A more suitable term would be 勇敢 (yǒnggǎn, brave).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 悍

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Etymology of 悍

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 旱 represents the sound. Simplified form of 猂.

Memory hint

heart

Semantic (meaning)忄
+
Phonetic (sound)旱
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

悍 = 忄 + 旱. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 悍

IDS Structure⿰忄旱
悍Full character
=
忄xin1
left
旱han4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 悍?

How to say courageous, brave; violent in Chinese

“courageous, brave; violent” in Chinese is悍hàn

The character 悍 (hàn) conveys a sense of bravery and fierceness, often associated with heroic qualities. It can describe a person who is courageous in the face of danger or someone who exhibits violent behavior. Commonly used in contexts relating to valor, strength, or aggression, this character often carries a connotation of being fearlessly bold.

When to use 悍

Be careful not to confuse 悍 with similar characters that imply gentleness or peace, as this word specifically denotes aggression or bravery. It is more commonly used in informal contexts, such as describing a brave person in stories or media. The tone is consistent, but learners should be cautious with the character's aggressive implications when using it.

悍 or something close to it

勇 (yǒng) - use 勇 for general bravery or courage, while 悍 emphasizes fierceness and aggression.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 悍 to describe someone who is simply brave without the aggressive connotation, such as saying '他是一个悍的人' (tā shì yīgè hàn de rén) to mean 'he is a brave person,' which could imply he is overly fierce. A more suitable term would be 勇敢 (yǒnggǎn, brave).

Write 悍

悍

Practice writing 悍 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 悍

悍 carries 7 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 3

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

据曼迪说,帕特彪____的外表下隐藏着一颗害羞且敏感的心。

According to Mandy, Pat's tough exterior hides a shy and sensitive soul.

Example sentences for 悍 (3)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
据曼迪说,帕特彪悍的外表下隐藏着一颗害羞且敏感的心。

jù màn dí shuō, pà tè biāo hàn de wàibiǎo xià yǐncáng zhe yī kē hàixiū qiě mǐngǎn de xīn。

According to Mandy, Pat's tough exterior hides a shy and sensitive soul.
2
我喜欢这篇故事,因为它短小精悍.

wǒ xǐhuan zhè piān gùshi, yīnwèi tā duǎn xiǎo jīng hàn.

I like the story because it's short and sweet.
3
骄傲和泼悍使她进退两难,她再也无法掩饰了.

jiāo’ào hé pō hàn shǐ tā jìn tuì liǎng nán, tā zàiyě wúfǎ yǎnshì le.

The straIt'she was in through pride and shrewishness could not be disguised longer.

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Word Family of 悍

Words containing this character13
强悍valiant強悍
悍hànheroic
凶悍violent兇悍
彪悍tough as nails
悍然outrageous
悍妇shrew悍婦
剽悍swift and fierce
短小精悍(of a person) short but plucky (idiom)
悍勇intrepid
勇悍brave
悍然不顾outrageous and unconventional (idiom); flying in the face of (authority, convention, public opinion etc)悍然不顧
蛮悍rude and violent蠻悍
矮小精悍short but intrepid (idiom)
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 悍

What does 强悍 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 悍

Phrases like 悍将 (hàn jiāng, fierce general) or 悍妇 (hàn fù, fierce woman) illustrate the use of this character in describing strong personalities.

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