惨 (cǎn) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 惨 (cǎn) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 惨 (cǎn) means "miserable; tragic". It is an HSK Level 6 character, with 11 strokes and the radical 忄.

Q: How do you write 惨 stroke by stroke?

惨 has 11 strokes. The radical is 忄. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 惨 and 恂?

惨 (cǎn) and 恂 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 惨?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 忄. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 惨?

Common words containing 惨 include: 悲惨 (bēi cǎn) — tragic; miserable; 惨重 (cǎn zhòng) — heavy; disastrous; 惨叫 (cǎn jiào) — to scream in pain.

How to Write 惨

The character 惨 (cǎn) is written with 11 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 忄 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

Meaning & Pronunciation

惨 is pronounced cǎn in Mandarin Chinese. It means miserable; tragic.

As an HSK Level 6 character, 惨 is an intermediate-level character.

Common Words with 惨

悲惨 bēi cǎn

tragic; miserable

惨重 cǎn zhòng

heavy; disastrous

惨叫 cǎn jiào

to scream in pain

Example Sentences

这个故事很悲惨。

zhè ge gù shì hěn bēi cǎn

This story is very tragic.

损失非常惨重。

sǔn shī fēi cháng cǎn zhòng

The losses were very heavy.

传来一声惨叫。

chuán lái yī shēng cǎn jiào

A blood-curdling scream was heard.

Similar Characters

恂 xún

恃 shì

恍 huǎng

Practice Writing 惨 (cǎn)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 惨 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 惨

What does 惨 (cǎn) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 惨 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 惨 and 恂?

What mistakes do learners make writing 惨?

What common words use 惨?

How to Write 惨 (cǎn)