How to Write 怅 (chàng) — Meaning “disappointed; regretful; listless”

Imagine your heart (忄) feels long (长) and heavy because you are disappointed or regretful. The "long heart" picture helps you recall that 怅 chàng means a drawn-out, listless sadness.

The left radical 忄 has three strokes: dot, dot, vertical—make sure the vertical stroke is straight and not too short. On the right, 长 has four strokes: the top is a short left-falling stroke, then a horizontal, then a vertical hook, and finally a right-falling stroke—do not confuse its shape with 长 in other characters like 张.

怅 (chàng) means disappointed or regretful, using 长 (long) to emphasize duration. 忉 (dāo) means grieved or worried, and its right side 刀 (knife) suggests sharp mental pain. 忏 (chàn) means to repent, and its right side 千 (thousand) links to countless regrets—so each character has a unique emotional nuance and pronunciation.

怅 appears in written or literary contexts, often in compound words like 怅然 (chàng rán, disappointed) or 怅惘 (chàng wǎng, wistful). It is not common in everyday speech but is used in poetry, essays, and emotional descriptions to convey a quiet, lingering sadness.

Common words containing 怅 include: 怅然 (chàng rán) — disappointed; upset; 怅惘 (chàng wǎng) — distraught; lost in thought; 悲怅 (bēi chàng) — sad and regretful.