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悴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
悴cuìto suffer; haggard, emaciatedzg, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #98590, Very Hard
悴cuìsadunknown, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #98590, Very Hard
悴cuìdowncastunknown, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #98590, Very Hard
悴cuìdistressedunknown, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #98590, Very Hard
cuì(cui4)cui T4
  1. 1to suffer; haggard, emaciated
  2. 2sad
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March 24, 2026

悴cuì(cui4)

The character 悴 (cuì) primarily means to appear haggard or emaciated, often due to distress or suffering. It can describe someone's physical appearance when they are unwell or emotionally troubled, conveying a sense of sadness or being downcast. This term is commonly used in contexts relating to mental or physical health.

Strokes11Radical忄Frequency#98590DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, looking haggard can be associated with emotional distress and social stigma, reflecting the importance placed on mental well-being and social appearances. The phrase '看起来很悴' (kàn qǐlái hěn cuì) can often be used to express concern for someone's health.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'sad' face that looks 'haggard.' The character 悴 has a heart (心) at its core, indicating emotional distress, while the outer part resembles someone who has lost weight, making you think of an emaciated figure. Remember 'cuì' sounds like 'suit,' and a person who is distressed might not care about their appearance or 'suit' anymore.

Meanings of 悴

cuì(cui4)
1to suffer; haggard, emaciated
2sad
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 悴

悴Simplified
11Strokes
忄Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 悴

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Podcast: 悴

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AI study notes for 悴

Quick Contrast

憔悴 (qiáocuì) — use 悴 (cuì) for a more general sense of haggardness, while 憔悴 (qiáocuì) often emphasizes emotional distress.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 悴 (cuì) with similar-sounding words like 瘦 (shòu), which means 'thin' but without the emotional context. It is generally used in informal contexts when discussing someone's health or emotional state. Be cautious with the tone; 悴 is pronounced with a falling tone, which can change its meaning if mixed with other tones.

HSK Study Tips

Though 悴 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it is beneficial for learners to understand words related to health and emotional states at this level. Focus on distinguishing it from similar terms and incorporate it when discussing feelings or physical appearance.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 悴 by applying it to describe someone simply being thin without emotional implications. For example, saying '他很悴因为他瘦' (Tā hěn cuì yīnwèi tā shòu) is incorrect; instead, it should be '他看起来很悴因为他不快乐' (Tā kàn qǐlái hěn cuì yīnwèi tā bù kuàilè), meaning 'He looks haggard because he is unhappy.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 悴

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Etymology of 悴

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

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 卒 represents the sound. Simplified form of 顇.

Memory hint

heart

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

Origin

悴 = 忄 + 卒. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 悴

IDS Structure⿰忄卒
悴Full character
=
忄xin1
left
卒cu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 悴?

How to say to suffer; haggard, emaciated in Chinese

“to suffer; haggard, emaciated” in Chinese is悴cuì

The character 悴 (cuì) primarily means to appear haggard or emaciated, often due to distress or suffering. It can describe someone's physical appearance when they are unwell or emotionally troubled, conveying a sense of sadness or being downcast. This term is commonly used in contexts relating to mental or physical health.

When to use 悴

Learners often confuse 悴 (cuì) with similar-sounding words like 瘦 (shòu), which means 'thin' but without the emotional context. It is generally used in informal contexts when discussing someone's health or emotional state. Be cautious with the tone; 悴 is pronounced with a falling tone, which can change its meaning if mixed with other tones.

悴 or something close to it

憔悴 (qiáocuì) — use 悴 (cuì) for a more general sense of haggardness, while 憔悴 (qiáocuì) often emphasizes emotional distress.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 悴 by applying it to describe someone simply being thin without emotional implications. For example, saying '他很悴因为他瘦' (Tā hěn cuì yīnwèi tā shòu) is incorrect; instead, it should be '他看起来很悴因为他不快乐' (Tā kàn qǐlái hěn cuì yīnwèi tā bù kuàilè), meaning 'He looks haggard because he is unhappy.'

Write 悴

悴

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

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Grammar patterns of 悴

悴 carries 4 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 4

Fill the gap

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

尼克环视着盯着自己的那一张张憔____的面孔。

Nick glanced around at the haggard faces watching him.

Example sentences for 悴 (6)

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1
尼克环视着盯着自己的那一张张憔悴的面孔。

ní kè huán shì zhe dīng zhe zìjǐ de nà yī zhāng zhāng qiáocuì de miànkǒng。

Nick glanced around at the haggard faces watching him.
2
她一脸苍白憔悴。

tā yī liǎn cāngbái qiáocuì。

Her face was pinched and drawn.
3
那些动物体重明显下降, 瘦多了, 简直是憔悴不堪.

nàxiē dòngwù tǐzhòng míngxiǎn xiàjiàng, shòu duō le, jiǎnzhí shì qiáocuì bùkān.

The animals had lost weight noticeably, becoming lean, almost emaciated.
4
她瘦了,憔悴了.

tā shòule, qiáocuì le.

She grew thin and meagre.
5
“ 她有点憔悴, 不过人并不十分瘦,而且比从前更好看些.

“ tā yǒu diǎn qiáocuì, búguò rén bìng bù shífēn shòu, érqiě bǐ cóngqián gènghǎo kàn xiē.

'she looks a little haggard, but not too thin. Maybe a little thinner than before.
6
辛德雷已经出来了, 站在厨房炉边, 憔悴而懒塌塌的.

Xīn dé léi yǐjīng chūlái le, zhàn zài chúfáng lú biān, qiáocuì ér lǎn tā tā de.

Hindley had come out, and stood on the Kitchen hearth, haggard and drowsy.

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Word Family of 悴

Words containing this character2
憔悴wan and sallow
悴cuìsad
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 悴

What does 憔悴 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 悴

It means to look haggard or emaciated, often due to distress or suffering.

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