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慴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
shèfear; terrified, fearful; fearzg, 14 strokes, radical 忄, Very Hard
shè(she4) T4
  1. 1fear; terrified, fearful; fear
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March 24, 2026

shè(she4)

The character 慴 (shè) conveys a sense of fear or being terrified. It is often used in contexts where someone experiences intense anxiety or dread, highlighting the emotional impact of fear rather than just the physical sensation.

Strokes14RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, fear is often linked to superstitions and the concept of spirits. The character 慴 reflects the cultural significance of fear, especially in stories that involve ghosts or the supernatural.

Memory Tip

Imagine a scared sheep (shè) trembling in fear. The character 慴 combines the heart radical (心) at the bottom, symbolizing fear felt in the heart, with the component that resembles a person (亻) experiencing dread.

Meanings of 慴

shè(she4)
1fear; terrified, fearful; fear
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 慴

Simplified
14Strokes
Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 慴

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 慴

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a scared sheep (shè) trembling in fear. The character 慴 combines the heart radical (心) at the bottom, symbolizing fear felt in the heart, with the component that resembles a person (亻) experiencing dread.

Usage Notes

慴 is a more formal term and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. Learners should be cautious with tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with similar-sounding characters. It's often used in literary or descriptive contexts.

HSK Study Tips

Although 慴 is not included in the HSK levels, understanding this character can enhance vocabulary related to emotions and mental states. Students should focus on similar characters expressing feelings to build a more comprehensive emotional lexicon.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, fear is often linked to superstitions and the concept of spirits. The character 慴 reflects the cultural significance of fear, especially in stories that involve ghosts or the supernatural.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 慴 with 恐惧 (kǒngjù), leading to sentences like '我感到恐惧' (I feel fear) instead of using 慴 for a more nuanced expression. Remember to choose the term based on the intensity of fear you wish to convey.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 慴

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Etymology of 慴

Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 聂 represents the sound. Simplified form of 懾.

Learn more about character formation (六书)
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 慴?

Decomposition of 慴

IDS Structure⿰忄習
Full Character
=
xin1
left
xi2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 慴?

Write 慴

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 慴

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese culture, fear is often linked to superstitions and the concept of spirits. The character 慴 reflects the cultural significance of fear, especially in stories that involve ghosts or the supernatural.

Word Family of 慴

Words Containing This Character6
震慑to awe震懾
威慑wēishèdeterrence威懾
shèafraid
慑服to overawe懾服
核威慑nuclear deterrence核威懾
威慑力量deterrent force威懾力量
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 震慑 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 慴

You can use 慴 to describe a feeling, such as '他感到慴' (He feels terrified).