HSK 7, a, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #2318, Very Hard
惨
cǎn
wretched
HSK 7, a, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #2318, Very Hard
惨
cǎn
cruel
HSK 7, a, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #2318, Very Hard
惨
cǎn
inhuman
HSK 7, a, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #2318, Very Hard
惨
cǎn
disastrous
HSK 7, a, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #2318, Very Hard
惨
cǎn
tragic
HSK 7, a, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #2318, Very Hard
惨
cǎn
dim
HSK 7, a, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #2318, Very Hard
惨
cǎn
gloomy
HSK 7, a, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #2318, Very Hard
cǎn(can3) T3
1miserable
2wretched
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March 24, 2026
惨(慘)cǎn(can3)
The character 惨 (cǎn) conveys a sense of extreme misery or tragedy. It is often used to describe situations that are wretched or disastrous, reflecting a deep emotional or physical suffering. Common contexts include discussions of tragic events, personal misfortune, or severe conditions that evoke sympathy.
Strokes11Radical忄Frequency#2318DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of tragedy is often explored in literature and film, reflecting societal values around suffering and resilience. The character 惨 might appear in historical narratives or stories about personal sacrifice and loss.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'sad' scene where a 'clam' (sounds like 'cǎn') is sitting alone in a dark corner, crying because it's lost everything. The character's components evoke a feeling of gloom and despair, reinforcing the idea of tragedy.
Meanings of 惨
cǎn(can3)
1miserable
2wretched
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 惨
惨Simplified
慘Traditional
11Strokes
忄Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#2318Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 惨
Podcast: 惨
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AI Study Notes for 惨
Quick Contrast
惨 (cǎn) vs 悲 (bēi) — use 惨 for extreme misery or tragedy, while 悲 emphasizes sorrow or sadness.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when using 惨, as it can imply strong emotions. It is generally used in formal or literary contexts but can also be found in everyday speech when discussing unfortunate situations. A common collocation is 惨痛 (cǎntòng), meaning 'painful' or 'tragic'.
HSK Study Tips
While 惨 is not in the HSK lists, it shares themes with vocabulary related to emotions and experiences of suffering. Learners should focus on its usage in compound words and phrases to understand its emotional weight and context.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 惨 with similar sounding words like 惭 (cán, meaning 'to feel ashamed'). For example, saying '他感到惨' (tā gǎndào cǎn) instead of '他感到惨痛' (tā gǎndào cǎntòng) might not convey the intended meaning of feeling tragic pain.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 惨
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Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 参 represents the sound. Simplified form of 慘.
1The meaning half忄 carries the sense.
2The sound half参 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayheart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 惨? 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 惨?
Decomposition of 惨
IDS Structure⿰忄参
惨Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
参can1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 惨?
How to say miserable in Chinese
“miserable” in Chinese is惨cǎn
The character 惨 (cǎn) conveys a sense of extreme misery or tragedy. It is often used to describe situations that are wretched or disastrous, reflecting a deep emotional or physical suffering. Common contexts include discussions of tragic events, personal misfortune, or severe conditions that evoke sympathy.
When to use 惨
Be cautious with the tone when using 惨, as it can imply strong emotions. It is generally used in formal or literary contexts but can also be found in everyday speech when discussing unfortunate situations. A common collocation is 惨痛 (cǎntòng), meaning 'painful' or 'tragic'.
惨 or something close to it
惨 (cǎn) vs 悲 (bēi) — use 惨 for extreme misery or tragedy, while 悲 emphasizes sorrow or sadness.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 惨 with similar sounding words like 惭 (cán, meaning 'to feel ashamed'). For example, saying '他感到惨' (tā gǎndào cǎn) instead of '他感到惨痛' (tā gǎndào cǎntòng) might not convey the intended meaning of feeling tragic pain.
Write 惨
惨
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Practice writing 惨 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 惨
惨 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 8 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.
