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恕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
恕
shù
to forgive
HSK 7, nr, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #3782, Very Hard
恕
shù
to excuse, to forgive, to show mercy
HSK 7, nr, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #3782, Very Hard
shù(shu4)shu T4
1to forgive
2to excuse, to forgive, to show mercy
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March 24, 2026
恕shù(shu4)
The character 恕 (shù) means 'to forgive' or 'to excuse.' It is often used in contexts where someone is asked to show mercy or leniency, indicating a compassionate attitude towards others' mistakes or shortcomings. This term is commonly associated with moral and ethical discussions in Chinese culture.
Strokes10Radical心Frequency#3782DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Confucianism, the value of forgiveness is emphasized as a virtue that maintains harmony in relationships. The character 恕 is often mentioned in classical texts that discuss moral behavior and personal conduct.
Memory tip
Imagine the character 恕 as a heart (心) that is open to understanding a mistake (亻). Picture a person (亻) standing in front of a heart (心), ready to forgive. The pronunciation 'shù' sounds like 'shoo,' as if you're gently shooing away anger and resentment.
Meanings of 恕
shù(shu4)
1to forgive
2to excuse, to forgive, to show mercy
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 恕
恕Simplified
10Strokes
心Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#3782Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7
Podcast: 恕
Podcast: 恕
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AI study notes for 恕
Quick Contrast
宽恕 (kuān shù, to forgive, to pardon) - use 恕 when emphasizing the act of excusing someone, while 宽恕 often implies a broader sense of forgiveness.
Usage Notes
Be mindful of the context in which you use 恕; it is more formal and is often seen in written language or serious discussions. A common collocation is 恕容 (shùróng), meaning 'to forgive and tolerate.' Avoid using it in casual conversations where simpler terms may suffice.
HSK Study Tips
Although 恕 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects well with HSK Level 4 words related to morality and ethics, such as 忍 (rěn, to endure) and 体谅 (tǐliàng, to understand). Focus on using 恕 in sentences that express understanding and compassion.
Common Mistakes
Learners may confuse 恕 with 原谅 (yuánliàng), as both mean 'to forgive,' but 恕 conveys a deeper sense of moral responsibility. For instance, saying '我恕你' (wǒ shù nǐ) can sound awkward; instead, use '我原谅你' (wǒ yuánliàng nǐ) for everyday situations.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 恕
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恕 = 心 + 如. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 恕
IDS Structure⿱如心
恕Full character
=
如ru2
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 恕?
How to say to forgive in Chinese
“to forgive” in Chinese is恕shù
The character 恕 (shù) means 'to forgive' or 'to excuse.' It is often used in contexts where someone is asked to show mercy or leniency, indicating a compassionate attitude towards others' mistakes or shortcomings. This term is commonly associated with moral and ethical discussions in Chinese culture.
When to use 恕
Be mindful of the context in which you use 恕; it is more formal and is often seen in written language or serious discussions. A common collocation is 恕容 (shùróng), meaning 'to forgive and tolerate.' Avoid using it in casual conversations where simpler terms may suffice.
恕 or something close to it
宽恕 (kuān shù, to forgive, to pardon) - use 恕 when emphasizing the act of excusing someone, while 宽恕 often implies a broader sense of forgiveness.
What learners get wrong
Learners may confuse 恕 with 原谅 (yuánliàng), as both mean 'to forgive,' but 恕 conveys a deeper sense of moral responsibility. For instance, saying '我恕你' (wǒ shù nǐ) can sound awkward; instead, use '我原谅你' (wǒ yuánliàng nǐ) for everyday situations.
Write 恕
恕
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Grammar patterns of 恕
恕 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 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 5
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
____我直言，那根本就不重要。
That, if you'll pardon my saying so, is neither here nor there.
Example sentences for 恕 (12)
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1
恕我直言，那根本就不重要。
shù wǒ zhí yán， nà gēnběn jiù bù zhòngyào。
That, if you'll pardon my saying so, is neither here nor there.
2
恕我直言，那听起来不太符合常规。
shù wǒ zhí yán， nà tīng qǐlái bùtài fúhé chángguī。
It doesn't sound exactly orthodox, if I may say so.
3
恕我直言，您错了。
shù wǒ zhí yán， nín cuò le。
With all due respect, you're wrong.
4
我止住了他那种卑躬屈节的神气, 告诉他,我饶恕了他.
wǒ zhǐ zhù le tā nà zhǒng bēi gōng Qū jié de shénqì, gàosu tā, wǒ ráoshù le tā.
I abated his cringes, told him I forgave him.
5
" 饶恕我吧, 亲爱的, " 她亲切地说, 一面伸出她的两臂.
" ráoshù wǒ ba, qīnài de, " tā qīnqiè dì shuō, yímiàn shēn chū tā de liǎng bì.
" Forgive me, darling,'she said gently, putting out her arms.
6
他跪在地板上请求宽恕。
tā guì zài dìbǎn shàng qǐngqiú kuānshù。
He was kneeling on the floor pleading for mercy.
7
他请求朋友的恕，因为他忘记了约定的时间。
Tā qǐngqiú péngyǒu de shù, yīnwèi tā wàngjìle yuēdìng de shíjiān.
He asked for his friend's forgiveness because he forgot the agreed time.
8
在信中，他表达了对过去错误的歉意，并请求对方的恕。
Zài xìn zhōng, tā biǎodále duì guòqù cuòwù de qiànyì, bìng qǐngqiú duìfāng de shù.
In the letter, he expressed his apologies for past mistakes and asked for forgiveness.
9
在这个特别的日子里，我希望大家能够互相恕解，放下过去的不愉快。
Zài zhège tèbié de rìzi lǐ, wǒ xīwàng dàjiā nénggòu hùxiāng shùjiě, fàngxià guòqù de bù yúkuài.
On this special day, I hope everyone can forgive each other and let go of past unhappiness.
10
他请求大家的恕，因为他无意中泄露了秘密。
Tā qǐngqiú dàjiā de shù, yīnwèi tā wúyì zhōng xièlòu le mìmì.
He asked for everyone's forgiveness because he accidentally revealed the secret.
11
他在信中表达了对所犯错误的歉意，希望能得到对方的恕。
Tā zài xìn zhōng biǎodále duì suǒ fàn cuòwù de qiànyì, xīwàng néng dédào duìfāng de shù.
In the letter, he expressed his apologies for the mistakes he made, hoping to receive forgiveness from the other side.
12
在法庭上，受害者表示愿意给予他恕，因为他已经真诚悔改。
Zài fǎtíng shàng, shòuhàizhě biǎoshì yuànyì jǐyǔ tā shù, yīnwèi tā yǐjīng zhēnchéng huǐgǎi.
In court, the victim expressed a willingness to forgive him because he had sincerely repented.
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Word Family of 恕
Words containing this character4
恕shùto forgive
宽恕kuānshùto forgive寬恕
饶恕ráoshùto forgive饒恕
恕罪shùzuìplease forgive me
Exercise 1 of 3
Words with 恕
What does 宽恕 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 恕
You can say, '请恕我冒犯了您' (Qǐng shù wǒ màofàn le nín), meaning 'Please forgive me for offending you.'
It tends to be more formal and is typically used in written language or serious discussions rather than casual conversation.
Some synonyms include 原谅 (yuánliàng, to pardon) and 宽恕 (kuānshù, to forgive).
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