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伤感 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
伤感shānggǎnsadHSK 7, unknown, 19 strokes, rank #6960, Very Hard, literary
伤感shānggǎnemotionalHSK 7, unknown, 19 strokes, rank #6960, Very Hard
伤感shānggǎnsentimentalHSK 7, unknown, 19 strokes, rank #6960, Very Hard
伤感shānggǎnpathosHSK 7, unknown, 19 strokes, rank #6960, Very Hard
shānggǎn(shang1gan3)shang gan T1
  1. 1emotional
  2. 2sentimental
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March 24, 2026

伤感(傷感)shānggǎn(shang1gan3)

伤感 (shānggǎn) refers to a deep feeling of sadness or sentimentality. It is often used to describe emotions evoked by memories, music, literature, or personal experiences that carry a sense of loss or nostalgia.

Strokes19Frequency#6960DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

伤感 is commonly associated with Chinese literature and music, where themes of nostalgia and longing are prevalent. This emotion often surfaces during festivals like the Qingming Festival, when people remember their ancestors.

Memory tip

Imagine a person holding a broken heart (伤) while feeling a heavy cloud of sadness (感) hovering above them. The heart represents 'hurt' (伤) and the cloud symbolizes 'feelings' (感), helping you remember that 伤感 is about emotional pain.

Meanings of 伤感

shānggǎn(shang1gan3)
1sad
2emotional
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 伤感

伤感Simplified
傷感Traditional
19Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 伤感

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Podcast: 伤感

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AI study notes for 伤感

Quick Contrast

伤心 (shānxīn) vs 伤感 (shānggǎn): use 伤感 when referring to a sentimental sadness often tied to nostalgia, while 伤心 indicates a more general feeling of being sad.

Usage Notes

When using 伤感, avoid confusing it with simply being 'sad' (悲伤, bēishāng), as 伤感 carries a more reflective, sentimental tone. It is often used in informal contexts, particularly when discussing art, music, or personal experiences. Be mindful of pronunciation; the second tone in 感 can be easily mispronounced as a falling tone.

HSK Study Tips

Although 伤感 may not directly appear in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with emotional vocabulary seen in HSK levels 3 and above. Focus on recognizing its components and usage in context, especially in conversations about feelings and experiences.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 伤感 with 悲伤 (bēishāng), which strictly means 'sad.' For example, saying '我很伤感因为我很悲伤' (Wǒ hěn shānggǎn yīnwèi wǒ hěn bēishāng) is redundant. Instead, use 伤感 to describe sentimental feelings rather than just sadness.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 伤感

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Component characters

伤shāngto injure
HSK 56 strokes亻
View full entry
感gǎnto feel
HSK 413 strokes心
View full entry

How to say sad in Chinese

“sad” in Chinese is伤感shānggǎn

伤感 (shānggǎn) refers to a deep feeling of sadness or sentimentality. It is often used to describe emotions evoked by memories, music, literature, or personal experiences that carry a sense of loss or nostalgia.

When to use 伤感

When using 伤感, avoid confusing it with simply being 'sad' (悲伤, bēishāng), as 伤感 carries a more reflective, sentimental tone. It is often used in informal contexts, particularly when discussing art, music, or personal experiences. Be mindful of pronunciation; the second tone in 感 can be easily mispronounced as a falling tone.

伤感 or something close to it

伤心 (shānxīn) vs 伤感 (shānggǎn): use 伤感 when referring to a sentimental sadness often tied to nostalgia, while 伤心 indicates a more general feeling of being sad.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 伤感 with 悲伤 (bēishāng), which strictly means 'sad.' For example, saying '我很伤感因为我很悲伤' (Wǒ hěn shānggǎn yīnwèi wǒ hěn bēishāng) is redundant. Instead, use 伤感 to describe sentimental feelings rather than just sadness.

Write 伤感

伤
感

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Usage Notes for 伤感

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伤感 is often used in literary contexts to express deep emotions.

1

这首诗表达了伤感的情绪。

This poem expresses a feeling of sadness.

Exercise 1 of 1

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

这首诗表达了____的情绪。

This poem expresses a feeling of sadness.

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Frequently asked questions about 伤感

Yes, synonyms for 伤感 include 悲伤 (bēi shāng), which means 'sorrowful,' and 感伤 (gǎn shāng), meaning 'sentimental' or 'melancholic.' These words share similar emotional connotations and can often be used interchangeably depending on the context.

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