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谩 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
谩mánto slight, to insult; to deceivev, 13 strokes, radical 讠, rank #75706, Very Hard
谩mánto slanderunknown, 13 strokes, radical 讠, rank #75706, Very Hard
谩mánto be disrespectfulunknown, 13 strokes, radical 讠, rank #75706, Very Hard
谩mànto slight, to insult; to deceivev, 13 strokes, radical 讠, rank #75706, Very Hard
谩mànto slanderunknown, 13 strokes, radical 讠, rank #75706, Very Hard
谩mànto be disrespectfulunknown, 13 strokes, radical 讠, rank #75706, Very Hard
mán(man2)man
primary
T2
  1. 1to slight, to insult; to deceive
  2. 2to slander
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

谩(謾)mán(man2)

The character 谩 (mán) primarily means to slight or insult someone, often through deceptive or disrespectful words. It is commonly used in contexts involving slander or derogatory remarks, indicating a lack of respect or a deliberate attempt to harm someone's reputation.

Strokes13Radical讠Frequency#75706DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, maintaining face and reputation is of utmost importance, making the act of slander (as suggested by 谩) particularly serious and culturally sensitive.

Memory Tip

Imagine a man (sounds like 'mán') standing in front of a mirror, practicing insults and slanders. The character 谩 has the radical 'speech' (言) on the left, which connects to the idea of speaking ill or disrespectfully.

Meanings of 谩

mán(man2)
primary
1to slight, to insult; to deceive
2to slander
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 谩 means.

About 谩

谩Simplified
謾Traditional
13Strokes
讠Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 谩

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Podcast: 谩

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AI Study Notes for 谩

Quick Contrast

谩 (mán) vs 侮 (wǔ) — use 谩 when emphasizing verbal insults or slander, while 侮 focuses more on general disrespect or humiliation.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 谩 with similar-sounding words that convey different meanings. It is generally used in more formal contexts when discussing issues of reputation or speech. Common collocations include 谩骂 (mánmà), meaning to insult or slander.

HSK Study Tips

Although 谩 is not included in the standard HSK levels, it is beneficial to learn alongside words related to communication and social interactions. Focus on understanding its usage in negative contexts to expand your vocabulary related to insults and slander.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 谩 with 赞 (zàn), which means to praise. For example, saying '我很赞对他' (wǒ hěn zàn duì tā) instead of '我常常谩骂他' (wǒ chángcháng mánmà tā) can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 谩

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Etymology of 谩

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 曼 represents the sound. Simplified form of 謾.

Memory Hint

speech

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

Origin

谩 = 讠 + 曼. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 谩

IDS Structure⿰讠曼
谩Full Character
=
讠yan2
left
曼man4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 谩?

How to say to slight, to insult; to deceive in Chinese

“to slight, to insult; to deceive” in Chinese is谩mán

The character 谩 (mán) primarily means to slight or insult someone, often through deceptive or disrespectful words. It is commonly used in contexts involving slander or derogatory remarks, indicating a lack of respect or a deliberate attempt to harm someone's reputation.

When to use 谩

Be careful not to confuse 谩 with similar-sounding words that convey different meanings. It is generally used in more formal contexts when discussing issues of reputation or speech. Common collocations include 谩骂 (mánmà), meaning to insult or slander.

谩 or something close to it

谩 (mán) vs 侮 (wǔ) — use 谩 when emphasizing verbal insults or slander, while 侮 focuses more on general disrespect or humiliation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 谩 with 赞 (zàn), which means to praise. For example, saying '我很赞对他' (wǒ hěn zàn duì tā) instead of '我常常谩骂他' (wǒ chángcháng mánmà tā) can lead to misunderstandings.

Write 谩

谩

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

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Grammar Patterns of 谩

谩 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. It carries 3 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.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

他们被推来搡去,受到大肆的____骂攻击。

They were jostled and subjected to a torrent of verbal abuse.

Example Sentences for 谩 (1)

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1
他们被推来搡去,受到大肆的谩骂攻击。

tā mén bèi tuī lái sǎng qù, , shòu dào dà sì de mán mà gōng。

They were jostled and subjected to a torrent of verbal abuse.

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Word Family of 谩

Words Containing This Character2
谩骂to hurl abuse謾罵
谩mánto slander謾
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 谩

What does 谩骂 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 谩

You might say: 他常常谩骂别人 (tā chángcháng mánmà biérén) meaning 'He often insults others.'

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