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虽 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
虽
suī
although
HSK 6, zg, 9 strokes, radical 虫, rank #6955, Hard
虽
suī
even though
HSK 6, zg, 9 strokes, radical 虫, rank #6955, Hard
suī(sui1)sui T1
1although
2even though
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March 24, 2026
虽(雖)suī(sui1)
The character 虽 (suī) is used to introduce a concession or contrast, similar to 'although' or 'even though' in English. It is often employed in complex sentences to indicate that one idea is true despite another idea being true as well, making it a crucial connector in expressing nuanced thoughts.
Strokes9Radical虫Frequency#6955DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the use of 虽 reflects the emphasis on harmony and the ability to acknowledge opposing views or ideas gracefully, a value deeply rooted in Confucian thought.
Memory tip
Think of 虽 (suī) as a bridge connecting two contrasting ideas. The left part 虍 (hū) resembles a tiger, representing strength, while the right part is the character for 'to say' (言) which suggests communication. Imagine a strong tiger saying, 'Although I am powerful, I can still listen.'
Meanings of 虽
suī(sui1)
1although
2even though
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 虽
虽Simplified
雖Traditional
9Strokes
虫Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#6955Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 虽
Podcast: 虽
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AI study notes for 虽
Quick Contrast
虽然 (suīrán) vs 尽管 (jǐnguǎn) — use 虽 when introducing a concession in a more concise form, while 虽然 adds emphasis and is more commonly used in spoken language.
Usage Notes
While 虽 is commonly used in both spoken and written Mandarin, learners often confuse it with similar conjunctions like 尽管 (jǐnguǎn) or 但是 (dànshì), which have slightly different usages. Pay attention to the tone; it is pronounced with a high level tone (first tone).
HSK Study Tips
Although 虽 is not explicitly listed in the HSK vocabulary, it is essential for understanding complex sentence structures, especially at HSK 4 and above. Students should focus on practicing its use in conjunction with other conjunctions and transitional phrases.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 虽 by placing it incorrectly in a sentence, such as saying '我虽然喜欢这个，但我不喜欢它的颜色。' (I like this, but I don't like its color.) which should be '虽然我喜欢这个，...'. Always position 虽 at the beginning of the clause it modifies.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 虽
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Learning Lab
Knowing 虽 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
Simplified form of 雖. This character originally was used to describe some sort of lizard-like animal. The current meaning is a phonetic loan. The traditional component 隹 was removed for simplification.
The character 虽 (suī) is used to introduce a concession or contrast, similar to 'although' or 'even though' in English. It is often employed in complex sentences to indicate that one idea is true despite another idea being true as well, making it a crucial connector in expressing nuanced thoughts.
When to use 虽
While 虽 is commonly used in both spoken and written Mandarin, learners often confuse it with similar conjunctions like 尽管 (jǐnguǎn) or 但是 (dànshì), which have slightly different usages. Pay attention to the tone; it is pronounced with a high level tone (first tone).
虽 or something close to it
虽然 (suīrán) vs 尽管 (jǐnguǎn) — use 虽 when introducing a concession in a more concise form, while 虽然 adds emphasis and is more commonly used in spoken language.
What learners get wrong
Learners often misuse 虽 by placing it incorrectly in a sentence, such as saying '我虽然喜欢这个，但我不喜欢它的颜色。' (I like this, but I don't like its color.) which should be '虽然我喜欢这个，...'. Always position 虽 at the beginning of the clause it modifies.
Write 虽
虽
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Grammar patterns of 虽
虽 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
