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惋 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
惋wǎnto sigh in regret or pitya, 11 strokes, radical 忄, Hard
惋wǎnTaiwan pr. [wàn]a, 11 strokes, radical 忄, Hard
惋wǎnto regret, to be sorrya, 11 strokes, radical 忄, Hard
惋wǎnTaiwan pr. [wan4]unknown, 11 strokes, radical 忄, Hard
wǎn(wan3) T3
  1. 1to sigh in regret or pity
  2. 2Taiwan pr. [wàn]
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March 24, 2026

惋wǎn(wan3)

The character 惋 (wǎn) conveys a sense of deep regret or pity, often expressed through a sigh. It is commonly used in contexts where one feels sorrow for someone else's misfortune or reflects on lost opportunities, making it a poignant term in emotional expressions.

Strokes11Radical忄Frequency#3525DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressing regret or pity is often tied to social relationships and moral obligations. The use of 惋 in conversation reflects a cultural sensitivity towards others' feelings and circumstances.

Memory Tip

Think of 惋 (wǎn) as a combination of the heart (忄) feeling heavy due to a sigh (口) escaping in regret. Imagine a heart sighing softly as it reminisces about a missed chance, thus connecting the character's components to its meaning.

Meanings of 惋

wǎn(wan3)
1to sigh in regret or pity
2Taiwan pr. [wàn]
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 惋

惋Simplified
11Strokes
忄Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 惋

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Podcast: 惋

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AI Study Notes for 惋

Quick Contrast

惋 (wǎn) vs 哀 (āi) — use 惋 for expressing regret or pity specifically about someone else's situation, while 哀 conveys a broader sense of mourning or sorrow.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 惋 with similar characters that express sadness or regret, such as 哀 (āi). It is more formal and may not be used in casual conversation. Pay attention to the pronunciation; using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

Though not currently assigned an HSK level, 惋 is relevant for learners at the intermediate level, as it enhances emotional vocabulary. Students should focus on understanding how this word can be used in conjunction with other emotional expressions.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 惋 with 哀 or 惜, leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我惋她的离开' (correct: '我惋惜她的离开') would be a mistake; the correct term here would be 惜.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 惋

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Etymology of 惋

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

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 宛 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

heart

Semantic (meaning)忄
+
Phonetic (sound)宛
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 惋

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 宛 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half忄 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half宛 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayheart
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 惋? 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 惋?

Decomposition of 惋

IDS Structure⿰忄宛
惋Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
宛Wan3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 惋?

How to say to sigh in regret or pity in Chinese

“to sigh in regret or pity” in Chinese is惋wǎn

The character 惋 (wǎn) conveys a sense of deep regret or pity, often expressed through a sigh. It is commonly used in contexts where one feels sorrow for someone else's misfortune or reflects on lost opportunities, making it a poignant term in emotional expressions.

When to use 惋

Learners often confuse 惋 with similar characters that express sadness or regret, such as 哀 (āi). It is more formal and may not be used in casual conversation. Pay attention to the pronunciation; using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

惋 or something close to it

惋 (wǎn) vs 哀 (āi) — use 惋 for expressing regret or pity specifically about someone else's situation, while 哀 conveys a broader sense of mourning or sorrow.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 惋 with 哀 or 惜, leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我惋她的离开' (correct: '我惋惜她的离开') would be a mistake; the correct term here would be 惜.

Write 惋

惋

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

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Word Family of 惋

Words Containing This Character2
惋惜wǎnxīto regret
惋wǎnTaiwan pr. [wàn]
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 惋惜 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 惋

You can say '我对他的失败感到惋惜' (Wǒ duì tā de shībài gǎndào wǎnxī), meaning 'I feel pity for his failure.'

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