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谏 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
谏jiànto admonish, to remonstratevg, 11 strokes, radical 讠, rank #72189, Very Hard
谏jiànsurname Jianunknown, 11 strokes, radical 讠, rank #72189, Very Hard
jiàn(Jian4) T4
  1. 1to admonish, to remonstrate
Also a Chinese surname, Jian — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

谏(諫)jiàn(Jian4)

The character 谏 (jiàn) means to admonish or remonstrate, often used in formal contexts where one advises or warns someone, particularly in positions of authority. It conveys a sense of earnestness and respect in delivering constructive criticism or counsel.

Strokes11Radical讠Frequency#72189DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In ancient China, advisors often played crucial roles in the governance of emperors, where the act of '谏' symbolized loyalty and integrity, as they would risk their positions to speak truthfully to power.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wise elder (the radical 言, meaning 'speech') standing before a ruler, gently admonishing him with thoughtful words. The pronunciation 'jiàn' sounds like 'gentle admonition', helping you remember the character's meaning and sound.

Meanings of 谏

jiàn(Jian4)
1to admonish, to remonstrate
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 谏

谏Simplified
諫Traditional
11Strokes
讠Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 谏

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Podcast: 谏

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AI Study Notes for 谏

Quick Contrast

劝 (quàn) vs 谏 (jiàn): Use 谏 (jiàn) for formal admonishments to authority, while 劝 (quàn) is more general and can be used for advising anyone.

Usage Notes

This character is typically used in formal or literary contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversations. Common collocations include '谏言' (jiàn yán, admonishing words) and '谏诤' (jiàn zhèng, remonstrance). Be careful with the fourth tone; it can be confused with similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

While 谏 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects to HSK vocabulary related to advice and communication. Focus on understanding its formal usage, which can enhance your language skills in historical or political discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 谏 with similar-sounding characters like 见 (jiàn, to see) due to the tonal difference. Make sure to practice the tone to avoid such mix-ups.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 谏

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Etymology of 谏

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 柬 represents the sound. Simplified form of 諫.

Memory Hint

speech

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 谏

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 柬 represents the sound. Simplified form of 諫.

  1. 1The meaning half讠 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half柬 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayspeech
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 谏? 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 谏?

Decomposition of 谏

IDS Structure⿰讠柬
谏Full Character
=
讠yan2
left
柬Jian3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 谏?

How to say to admonish, to remonstrate in Chinese

“to admonish, to remonstrate” in Chinese is谏jiàn

The character 谏 (jiàn) means to admonish or remonstrate, often used in formal contexts where one advises or warns someone, particularly in positions of authority. It conveys a sense of earnestness and respect in delivering constructive criticism or counsel.

When to use 谏

This character is typically used in formal or literary contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversations. Common collocations include '谏言' (jiàn yán, admonishing words) and '谏诤' (jiàn zhèng, remonstrance). Be careful with the fourth tone; it can be confused with similar-sounding words.

谏 or something close to it

劝 (quàn) vs 谏 (jiàn): Use 谏 (jiàn) for formal admonishments to authority, while 劝 (quàn) is more general and can be used for advising anyone.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 谏 with similar-sounding characters like 见 (jiàn, to see) due to the tonal difference. Make sure to practice the tone to avoid such mix-ups.

Write 谏

谏

Practice writing 谏 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 谏

Words Containing This Character5
谏jiànto admonish諫
劝谏to admonish勸諫
直谏direct criticism直諫
规谏to remonstrate規諫
从谏如流to follow admonition as natural flow (idiom); to accept criticism or correction (even from one's inferiors)從諫如流
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 谏 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 谏

You can say '他对国君谏言' (Tā duì guójūn jiànyán), meaning 'He admonished the king.'

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