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March 24, 2026
憎zēng(zeng1)
The character 憎 (zēng) means to abhor or detest something intensely. It conveys a strong feeling of hatred or aversion, often used in contexts where someone expresses a deep dislike for a person, idea, or situation. This word is more intense than simply 'not liking' something, indicating a profound emotional response.
Strokes15Radical忄Frequency#28896DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing strong emotions like hatred can be seen as socially inappropriate, so people may avoid using 憎 in casual settings. Instead, they might choose softer terms to convey dislike, reflecting a preference for harmony in social interactions.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person (心, xīn, meaning heart) with a dark cloud (the radical 憎) hovering above them, representing the hate they feel. To remember the pronunciation, think of 'zeng' as the sound of a thunderstorm – loud and ominous, like the feeling of strong dislike.
Meanings of 憎
zēng(zeng1)
1to abhor, to detest, to hate
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 憎
憎Simplified
15Strokes
忄Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 憎
Podcast: 憎
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AI Study Notes for 憎
Quick Contrast
厌 (yàn, to dislike) - use 憎 when expressing a more intense, deep-seated hatred compared to the milder aversion implied by 厌.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person (心, xīn, meaning heart) with a dark cloud (the radical 憎) hovering above them, representing the hate they feel. To remember the pronunciation, think of 'zeng' as the sound of a thunderstorm – loud and ominous, like the feeling of strong dislike.
Usage Notes
While 憎 is a strong word, it is important to use it with caution in conversation, as it can come across as very harsh or confrontational. It is often used in formal contexts or serious discussions rather than casual conversation. Common collocations include 憎恨 (zēnghèn, to hate) and 憎恶 (zēngwù, to detest).
HSK Study Tips
Though 憎 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with other emotional words like 爱 (ài, love) and 喜欢 (xǐhuān, like) at HSK Level 2 and 3. Focus on understanding the context in which strong emotions are expressed in Mandarin.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing strong emotions like hatred can be seen as socially inappropriate, so people may avoid using 憎 in casual settings. Instead, they might choose softer terms to convey dislike, reflecting a preference for harmony in social interactions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 憎 with the milder 恨 (hèn), using it inappropriately in casual contexts. For example, saying '我憎这个电影' (I hate this movie) sounds overly harsh; a softer expression would be '我不喜欢这个电影' (I don't like this movie).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 憎
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Grammar Patterns of 憎
憎 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
他为某些思想较守旧的官员所____恶。
He is loathed by some of the more traditionally minded officers.
Example Sentences for 憎 (9)
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1
他为某些思想较守旧的官员所憎恶。
tā wéi mǒu xiē sī xiǎng jiào shǒu jiù de guān yuán suǒ zēng è。
He is loathed by some of the more traditionally minded officers.
2
他可能是这个县里最遭人憎恨的人.
tā kě néng shì zhè gè xiàn lǐ zuì zāo rén zēng hèn de rén.
He's probably the most hated man in this county.
3
他们急切地想要表明自己对种族主义的憎恨。
tā mén jí qiē dì xiǎng yào biǎo míng zì jǐ duì zhǒng zú zhǔ yì de zēng hèn。
They are anxious to show their abhorrence of racism.
All terrorist crime is detestable, whoever the victims.
8
她憎恶暗示她太老不适合这项工作的话。
tā zēng è àn shì tā tài lǎo bù shì hé zhè xiàng gōng zuò de huà。
She resented the insinuation that she was too old for the job.
9
那位女士一脸毫不掩饰的憎恨让我震惊。
nà wèi nǚ shì yī liǎn háo bù yǎn shì de zēng hèn ràng wǒ zhèn jīng。
The naked hatred in the woman's face shocked me.
Cultural Notes for 憎
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, expressing strong emotions like hatred can be seen as socially inappropriate, so people may avoid using 憎 in casual settings. Instead, they might choose softer terms to convey dislike, reflecting a preference for harmony in social interactions.
Word Family of 憎
Words Containing This Character8
憎恨to detest
憎zēngto detest
憎恶to loathe憎惡
可憎disgusting
爱憎分明to have well-defined likes and dislikes愛憎分明
面目可憎repulsive countenance
爱憎love and hate愛憎
憎厌to loathe憎厭
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 憎恨 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 憎
No, 憎 is quite strong and is typically used in more formal or serious contexts.
Synonyms include 恨 (hèn, to hate) and 嫌 (xián, to resent).
Yes, you can use 憎 to express dislike for both people and abstract concepts, like policies or ideas.
