unknown, 12 strokes, radical 忄, rank #51652, Very Hard
kǎi(kai3)kai T3
1to sigh (with emotion)
2sigh, regret, lament; generosity
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March 24, 2026
慨(嘅)kǎi(kai3)
The character 慨 (kǎi) conveys a sense of emotional sighing, often associated with feelings of regret or lamentation. It is used in contexts where someone expresses deep emotions, such as sorrow or generosity, reflecting a heartfelt response to a situation.
Strokes12Radical忄Frequency#51652DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
The character 慨 is often found in classical Chinese literature, where it expresses profound emotions. It reflects the traditional Chinese value of emotional expression in poetry and prose, demonstrating the importance of sentiment in Chinese culture.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person sighing deeply while holding their heart, symbolizing the emotional weight of their feelings. The character 慨 is composed of the heart radical 心 (xīn) at the bottom, which signifies emotions, combined with the component 𠂇, representing the act of expressing or letting out those feelings. This connection to the heart helps in recalling its pronunciation 'kǎi.'
Meanings of 慨
kǎi(kai3)
1to sigh (with emotion)
2sigh, regret, lament; generosity
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 慨 means.
About 慨
慨Simplified
嘅Traditional
12Strokes
忄Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#51652Frequency Rank
Podcast: 慨
Podcast: 慨
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AI Study Notes for 慨
Quick Contrast
感慨 (gǎnkǎi) vs 慨 (kǎi): Use 感慨 when emphasizing a deep emotional reaction or reflection on a situation, while 慨 focuses more on the emotional sighing aspect.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 慨 with similar-sounding words. It’s important to use this word in more emotional or literary contexts, as it sounds formal or poetic. Common collocations include 慨叹 (kǎitàn - to sigh deeply) and 慨然 (kǎirán - generously).
HSK Study Tips
While 慨 is not included in the HSK curriculum, it shares thematic similarities with words related to emotion and expression at higher levels. Students should focus on contextual usage and collocations to master its nuances.
Common Mistakes
Learners might confuse 慨 with 哀, leading to incorrect usage in expressing emotions. For instance, using 慨 when discussing loss can sound overly formal; instead, 哀 would be more suitable. Correcting this involves understanding the context in which each word is appropriate.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 慨
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How Well Do You Know 慨?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 慨 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.
慨 = 忄 + 既. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 慨
IDS Structure⿰忄既
慨Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
既ji4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 慨?
How to say to sigh (with emotion) in Chinese
“to sigh (with emotion)” in Chinese is慨kǎi
The character 慨 (kǎi) conveys a sense of emotional sighing, often associated with feelings of regret or lamentation. It is used in contexts where someone expresses deep emotions, such as sorrow or generosity, reflecting a heartfelt response to a situation.
When to use 慨
Learners often confuse 慨 with similar-sounding words. It’s important to use this word in more emotional or literary contexts, as it sounds formal or poetic. Common collocations include 慨叹 (kǎitàn - to sigh deeply) and 慨然 (kǎirán - generously).
慨 or something close to it
感慨 (gǎnkǎi) vs 慨 (kǎi): Use 感慨 when emphasizing a deep emotional reaction or reflection on a situation, while 慨 focuses more on the emotional sighing aspect.
What learners get wrong
Learners might confuse 慨 with 哀, leading to incorrect usage in expressing emotions. For instance, using 慨 when discussing loss can sound overly formal; instead, 哀 would be more suitable. Correcting this involves understanding the context in which each word is appropriate.
Write 慨
慨
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Practice writing 慨 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 慨
慨 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 4 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.
重要的是工钱，不要过于慷____，但也没办法。
It's the wages that count. Not over-generous, but there you are.
