惮 meaning and stroke order
To fear, to dread; to dislike, to avoid
How to write 惮, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 惮
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- dread
- fear
- dislike
How 惮 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Heart.
忄 gives the meaning and 单 hints at the sound.
Radical: 忄 (heart), shared by 167 characters on this site.
How to remember 惮
惮 combines the heart radical 忄 with 单 (dān), which gives the sound. Picture a heart that feels alone (单) and afraid, and you have 惮 (dàn), to dread.
惮 is rarely used alone in modern Chinese. It appears mostly in set phrases and formal writing such as 肆无忌惮 (sìwújìdàn) and 忌惮 (jìdàn, to fear or have scruples about). Example: 他说话肆无忌惮。(Tā shuōhuà sìwújìdàn.) He speaks without any restraint.
Common mistake: Learners often read 惮 as dān because of its phonetic part 单, but the correct tone is fourth, dàn. Also do not confuse it with 弹 (dàn or tán, bullet or to play), which has the bow radical 弓 instead of the heart.
Common words with 惮
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 肆无忌惮 | sìwújìdàn | absolutely unrestrained; unbridled |
Questions about 惮
How many strokes are in 惮?
惮 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 惮 mean?
惮 (dàn) means to fear, to dread; to dislike, to avoid. A common word with it is 肆无忌惮 (sìwújìdàn), meaning "absolutely unrestrained; unbridled".
How do you pronounce 惮?
惮 is pronounced dàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 惮?
The radical of 惮 is 忄, which carries the idea of "heart". Dictionaries list 惮 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 惮?
The traditional form of 惮 is 憚. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 惮 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What does 忌惮 mean and how is it used?
忌惮 (jìdàn) means to fear or to be wary of someone, often out of respect for their power. It is common in the pattern 对……有所忌惮, meaning to hold back because you fear someone.
Is 肆无忌惮 positive or negative?
It is negative. It describes someone acting recklessly, with no fear of rules or consequences, like a bully or a corrupt official.