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戆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
戆gàngstupid, simple, simple-mindedzg, 25 strokes, radical 心, rank #65832, Very Hard
戆gàngstupid (Wu dialect)unknown, 25 strokes, radical 心, rank #65832, Very Hard
戆gànghonestunknown, 25 strokes, radical 心, rank #65832, Very Hard
戆zhuàngstupid, simple, simple-mindedzg, 25 strokes, radical 心, rank #65832, Very Hard
戆zhuàngstupid (Wu dialect)unknown, 25 strokes, radical 心, rank #65832, Very Hard
戆zhuànghonestunknown, 25 strokes, radical 心, rank #65832, Very Hard
gàng(gang4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1stupid, simple, simple-minded
  2. 2stupid (Wu dialect)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

戆(戇)gàng(gang4)

The character 戆 (gàng) conveys meanings related to being simple-minded or foolish. It is often used to describe someone who lacks intelligence or is naive, particularly in a light-hearted or humorous context. In some dialects, it can also imply a sense of honesty or straightforwardness.

Strokes25Radical心Frequency#65832DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In some Chinese communities, being simple or straightforward is seen as endearing or honest, especially in rural areas. The nuance of 戆 can reflect cultural values surrounding honesty and authenticity in social interactions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a cartoon character with a big head (representing a simple mind) standing under a large, open sign that says 'Honest Shop.' The character's head is shaped like the radical 戈, which suggests action but lacks depth, reinforcing the idea of simplicity or foolishness.

Meanings of 戆

gàng(gang4)
primary
1stupid, simple, simple-minded
2stupid (Wu dialect)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 戆

戆Simplified
戇Traditional
25Strokes
心Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 戆

JasonAmy

Podcast: 戆

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 戆

Quick Contrast

笨 (bèn) vs 傻 (shǎ) — use 戆 (gàng) for a lighter, more humorous tone, while 笨 (bèn) and 傻 (shǎ) carry a more serious or negative connotation.

Usage Notes

Be cautious when using 戆 in formal contexts, as it can come across as derogatory. Common collocations include phrases that describe someone as 戆戆 (gàng gàng), emphasizing their simplicity. Remember that the tone for gàng is falling, which can change its meaning if mispronounced.

HSK Study Tips

While 戆 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, it can be related to the HSK level 3 words that describe personality traits. Students should focus on recognizing how 戆 contrasts with more positive descriptors in terms of intelligence and social perception.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 戆 with similar sounding words like 糟 (zāo) which means 'bad' or 'rotten.' For example, saying '他很糟' (tā hěn zāo) instead of '他很戆' (tā hěn gàng) can change the intended meaning from describing someone as foolish to describing a bad situation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 戆

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Etymology of 戆

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

mind

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 戆

  1. 1The meaning half心 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half赣 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymind
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 戆? 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 戆?

Decomposition of 戆

IDS Structure⿱赣心
戆Full Character
=
赣Gan4
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 戆?

How to say stupid, simple, simple-minded in Chinese

“stupid, simple, simple-minded” in Chinese is戆gàng

The character 戆 (gàng) conveys meanings related to being simple-minded or foolish. It is often used to describe someone who lacks intelligence or is naive, particularly in a light-hearted or humorous context. In some dialects, it can also imply a sense of honesty or straightforwardness.

When to use 戆

Be cautious when using 戆 in formal contexts, as it can come across as derogatory. Common collocations include phrases that describe someone as 戆戆 (gàng gàng), emphasizing their simplicity. Remember that the tone for gàng is falling, which can change its meaning if mispronounced.

戆 or something close to it

笨 (bèn) vs 傻 (shǎ) — use 戆 (gàng) for a lighter, more humorous tone, while 笨 (bèn) and 傻 (shǎ) carry a more serious or negative connotation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 戆 with similar sounding words like 糟 (zāo) which means 'bad' or 'rotten.' For example, saying '他很糟' (tā hěn zāo) instead of '他很戆' (tā hěn gàng) can change the intended meaning from describing someone as foolish to describing a bad situation.

Write 戆

戆

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 戆

Words Containing This Character1
戆gàngsimple戇
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 戆 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 戆

In most contexts, 戆 refers to being simple-minded or foolish, but it can also imply honesty in a light-hearted manner.

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