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谴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
谴qiǎnpunishmentv, 15 strokes, radical 讠, rank #18133, Very Hard
谴qiǎnscoldv, 15 strokes, radical 讠, rank #18133, Very Hard
谴qiǎnto scold, to reprimand, to abusev, 15 strokes, radical 讠, rank #18133, Very Hard
谴qiǎnto censureunknown, 15 strokes, radical 讠, rank #18133, Very Hard
qiǎn(qian3) T3
  1. 1punishment
  2. 2scold
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

谴(譴)qiǎn(qian3)

The character 谴 (qiǎn) means to scold or reprimand someone, often in a formal or serious context. It implies a level of condemnation or censure, typically in response to wrong behavior or actions. This term is commonly used in legal, political, or moral discussions.

Strokes15Radical讠Frequency#18133DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of reprimanding, especially in formal settings, carries significant weight, often reflecting societal values regarding accountability and morality. This character can be seen in discussions about law and ethics in society.

Memory Tip

Think of 谴 (qiǎn) as a 'cane' (the left radical 讠related to speech) used to scold or reprimand someone. Imagine a stern teacher holding a cane, pointing it at a student while lecturing them about their mistakes, linking the sound 'qiǎn' to the action of reprimanding.

Meanings of 谴

qiǎn(qian3)
1punishment
2scold
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 谴

谴Simplified
譴Traditional
15Strokes
讠Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#18133Frequency Rank

Podcast: 谴

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Podcast: 谴

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 谴

Quick Contrast

谴 (qiǎn) vs 批评 (pīpíng) — use 谴 for formal condemnation, while 批评 is broader and can include constructive criticism.

Usage Notes

It is important to note that 谴 is more formal compared to other words for scolding, such as 骂 (mà). It is often used in written contexts or formal speech. Be careful with tone, as using a wrong tone can change the meaning of the word entirely.

HSK Study Tips

While 谴 is not included in the HSK curriculum, it is beneficial for learners at higher levels to understand this word in the context of discussing ethics or moral behavior. Students should focus on the formal tone and context in which it is used.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 谴 with similar sounding words like 谴责 (qiǎnzé), which means to condemn, leading to incorrect usage. A wrong example would be using 谴 in a casual conversation instead of a more appropriate term like 骂.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 谴

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Etymology of 谴

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

speech

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 谴

  1. 1The meaning half讠 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half遣 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 谴? 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 谴?

Decomposition of 谴

IDS Structure⿰讠遣
谴Full Character
=
讠yan2
left
遣qian3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 谴?

How to say punishment in Chinese

“punishment” in Chinese is谴qiǎn

The character 谴 (qiǎn) means to scold or reprimand someone, often in a formal or serious context. It implies a level of condemnation or censure, typically in response to wrong behavior or actions. This term is commonly used in legal, political, or moral discussions.

When to use 谴

It is important to note that 谴 is more formal compared to other words for scolding, such as 骂 (mà). It is often used in written contexts or formal speech. Be careful with tone, as using a wrong tone can change the meaning of the word entirely.

谴 or something close to it

谴 (qiǎn) vs 批评 (pīpíng) — use 谴 for formal condemnation, while 批评 is broader and can include constructive criticism.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 谴 with similar sounding words like 谴责 (qiǎnzé), which means to condemn, leading to incorrect usage. A wrong example would be using 谴 in a casual conversation instead of a more appropriate term like 骂.

Write 谴

谴

Practice writing 谴 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 谴

Words Containing This Character3
谴责qiǎnzéto denounce譴責
谴qiǎnto censure譴
自谴to blame oneself自譴
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 谴责 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 谴

No, 谴 is more formal and is typically used in written contexts or serious discussions.

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