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谨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
谨jǐncautiousHSK 7, d, 13 strokes, radical 讠, rank #9433, Hard
谨jǐncarefulHSK 7, d, 13 strokes, radical 讠, rank #9433, Hard
谨jǐnsolemnlyHSK 7, d, 13 strokes, radical 讠, rank #9433, Hard
谨jǐnsincerely (formal)HSK 7, d, 13 strokes, radical 讠, rank #9433, Hard
谨jǐnprudent, cautious, attentiveHSK 7, d, 13 strokes, radical 讠, rank #9433, Hard
jǐn(jin3) T3
  1. 1cautious
  2. 2careful
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
谨(謹)jǐn(jin3)

The character 谨 (jǐn) means cautious or careful, often used to describe a person who is attentive and prudent in their actions. It conveys a sense of seriousness and sincerity, particularly in formal contexts, such as when expressing respect or solemnity in speech or writing.

Strokes13Radical讠Frequency#9433DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being 谨 is often associated with showing respect during important events, such as weddings or ceremonies, where solemnity is expected. It reflects the value placed on humility and attentiveness in social interactions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person holding a 'j' (like a hook) and being very careful not to drop a precious glass (the radical 言, meaning 'speech' or 'words'). This image helps you remember that 谨 is about being careful with your words and actions.

Meanings of 谨

jǐn(jin3)
1cautious
2careful
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 谨

谨Simplified
謹Traditional
13Strokes
讠Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#9433Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7

Podcast: 谨

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Podcast: 谨

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AI Study Notes for 谨

Quick Contrast

小心 (xiǎoxīn, careful) - use 谨 (jǐn) for a more formal or serious tone, while 小心 (xiǎoxīn) is more casual.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person holding a 'j' (like a hook) and being very careful not to drop a precious glass (the radical 言, meaning 'speech' or 'words'). This image helps you remember that 谨 is about being careful with your words and actions.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include using 谨 in overly casual situations; it is more appropriate in formal contexts. Learners often confuse it with similar words like 小心 (xiǎoxīn, to be careful) but 谨 carries a more serious tone. Collocations include 谨慎 (jǐnshèn, careful) and 谨言慎行 (jǐnyán shènxíng, to speak and act with caution).

HSK Study Tips

While 谨 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to other HSK words related to caution and seriousness. Students should focus on the pronunciation and usage in formal contexts to enhance their vocabulary on expressing caution.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being 谨 is often associated with showing respect during important events, such as weddings or ceremonies, where solemnity is expected. It reflects the value placed on humility and attentiveness in social interactions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 谨 in informal contexts, such as saying '我很谨' (Wǒ hěn jǐn) instead of '我很小心' (Wǒ hěn xiǎoxīn). Remember that 谨 is more formal and should be reserved for serious discussions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 谨

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Etymology of 谨

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 堇 represents the sound. Simplified form of 謹.

Memory Hint

speech

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 谨?

Decomposition of 谨

IDS Structure⿰讠堇
谨Full Character
=
讠yan2
left
堇jin3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 谨?

Write 谨

谨

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 谨

谨 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons2
Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

那次失败让他深刻反思，此后他变得更加____慎。

That failure made him reflect deeply, and after that he became much more cautious.

Common Confusions with 谨

谨vs尽
jìn

Similar pronunciation and shape, but different meanings.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "cautious"?

or

Example Sentences for 谨 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他们过于谨慎也许是明智的。

tā mén guò yú jǐn shèn yě xǔ shì míng zhì de。

They may be wise to err on the side of caution.
2
他做事闷声不响，小心谨慎，有点死气沉沉的。

tā zuò shì mèn shēng bù xiǎng， ， xiǎo xīn jǐn， shèn ， yǒu diǎn sǐ qì chén。

He was quiet, conscientious, a bit of a plodder.
3
我们非常拘谨地坐在长椅的两头。

wǒ mén fēi cháng jū jǐn dì zuò zài cháng yǐ de liǎng tóu。

We sat primly at either end of a long settee.
4
这种事情需要谨慎行事有3个原因。

zhè zhǒng shì qíng xū yào jǐn shèn háng shì yǒu3 3 gè yuán。

There are three reasons for treading warily in such matters.
5
要谨慎行事，保护好自己并保持低调。

yào jǐn shèn háng shì， ， bǎo hù hǎo zì jǐ bìng bǎo chí dī。

Just play it safe, cover your ass, keep your head down.
6
他们的谨慎得到了很好的回报。

tā mén de jǐn shèn dé dào le hěn hǎo de huí bào。

Their caution has been richly rewarded.
7
大家拘谨地列好队迎接国王.

dà jiā jū jǐn dì liè hǎo duì yíng jiē guó wáng.

Everyone was formally lined up to meet the king.
8
基根一伙人小心谨慎地对待这场比赛，这是可以理解的。

jī gēn yī huǒ rén xiǎo xīn jǐn shèn dì duì dài zhè cháng bǐ sài， ， zhè shì kě yǐ lǐ jiě。

Keegan and company approached the game with understandable caution.
9
我们谨记母亲不许我们在人前炫耀的严厉教诲。

wǒ mén jǐn jì mǔ qīn bù xǔ wǒ mén zài rén qián xuàn yào de yán lì jiào huì。

We remember our mother's stern instructions not to boast.
10
那两个记者谨慎地保持距离跟在后面。

nà liǎng gè jì zhě jǐn shèn dì bǎo chí jù lí gēn zài hòu miàn。

The two journalists followed at a discreet distance.

Cultural Notes for 谨

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, being 谨 is often associated with showing respect during important events, such as weddings or ceremonies, where solemnity is expected. It reflects the value placed on humility and attentiveness in social interactions.

Word Family of 谨

Words Containing This Character10
谨慎jǐnshèncautious謹慎
谨jǐncautious謹
严谨yánjǐnrigorous嚴謹
小心谨慎careful小心謹慎
拘谨reserved拘謹
谨防to guard against謹防
谨记to bear in mind謹記
谨守to adhere strictly (to the rules)謹守
谨严meticulous謹嚴
勤谨diligent and painstaking勤謹
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 谨慎 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 谨

You can say '我谨慎地做这个决定' (Wǒ jǐnshèn de zuò zhège juédìng), meaning 'I made this decision carefully.'