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葸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
葸xǐafraid, bashful, insecureg, 12 strokes, radical 艹
葸xǐfeel insecureunknown, 12 strokes, radical 艹
葸xǐunhappyunknown, 12 strokes, radical 艹
xǐ(xi3)xi T3
  1. 1afraid, bashful, insecure
  2. 2feel insecure
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March 24, 2026

葸xǐ(xi3)

The character 葸 (xǐ) conveys feelings of fear, bashfulness, and insecurity. It is often used to describe a state of being unhappy or feeling uneasy in social situations, reflecting an emotional vulnerability. This word is less common in everyday language but can appear in literary or poetic contexts to express deep feelings.

Strokes12Radical艹
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressing feelings of insecurity or bashfulness can be more common in interpersonal communication, reflecting a value on humility and modesty. This character can evoke the idea of 'saving face' in social contexts.

Memory Tip

Imagine a shy person hiding behind a leafy plant (the radical 葉, which means leaf) because they are afraid to face the world. The character's form suggests someone who is bashful, hiding among leaves, and the 'xǐ' sounds like 'sheepish,' which also conveys a sense of shyness.

Meanings of 葸

xǐ(xi3)
1afraid, bashful, insecure
2feel insecure
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 葸

葸Simplified
12Strokes
艹Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 葸

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Podcast: 葸

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AI Study Notes for 葸

Usage Notes

Be aware that 葸 is not commonly used in daily conversation, making it more suitable for written or formal contexts. Learners might confuse it with similar-sounding words related to fear or shyness, so it’s important to pay attention to context and tone when using it.

HSK Study Tips

As this character is not included in the HSK levels, learners should focus on its emotional connotations. It relates to other words describing feelings and emotions, providing a deeper understanding of expressing vulnerability in Chinese.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 葸 with the more common word 害怕 (hàipà), which means 'to be afraid.' For example, saying '我葸' instead of '我害怕' (I am afraid) can lead to misunderstanding, as 葸 suggests a different emotional state.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 葸

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Etymology of 葸

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

heart

Semantic (meaning)心
+
Phonetic (sound)思
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

葸 = 心 + 思. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 葸

IDS Structure⿱艹思
葸Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
思si1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 葸?

How to say afraid, bashful, insecure in Chinese

“afraid, bashful, insecure” in Chinese is葸xǐ

The character 葸 (xǐ) conveys feelings of fear, bashfulness, and insecurity. It is often used to describe a state of being unhappy or feeling uneasy in social situations, reflecting an emotional vulnerability. This word is less common in everyday language but can appear in literary or poetic contexts to express deep feelings.

When to use 葸

Be aware that 葸 is not commonly used in daily conversation, making it more suitable for written or formal contexts. Learners might confuse it with similar-sounding words related to fear or shyness, so it’s important to pay attention to context and tone when using it.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 葸 with the more common word 害怕 (hàipà), which means 'to be afraid.' For example, saying '我葸' instead of '我害怕' (I am afraid) can lead to misunderstanding, as 葸 suggests a different emotional state.

Write 葸

葸

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

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Word Family of 葸

Words Containing This Character1
葸xǐunhappy

Frequently Asked Questions about 葸

No, 葸 is more often found in literary texts or poetry, rather than in everyday speech.

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