慨 meaning and stroke order
Sigh, regret, lament; generosity
How to write 慨, stroke by stroke
12 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 慨
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) impassioned; deeply affected (esp. with indignation or sorrow)
- (bound form) generous; magnanimous
- (archaic) to sigh
How 慨 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Heart.
忄 gives the meaning and 既 hints at the sound.
Radical: 忄 (heart), shared by 167 characters on this site.
How to remember 慨
慨 combines the heart radical 忄 with 既 (jì), which gives the sound. Picture a heart that has already (既) been stirred so deeply that it lets out a sigh, either of sorrow or of open-hearted generosity.
慨 almost never stands alone in modern Chinese. It appears in two-character words like 感慨 (gǎnkǎi, to sigh with emotion) and 慷慨 (kāngkǎi, generous or impassioned). Example: 他很慷慨，经常帮助朋友。(Tā hěn kāngkǎi, jīngcháng bāngzhù péngyou.) He is very generous and often helps his friends.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 慨 with 概 (gài, general, approximate), which has the same right side 既 but uses the wood radical 木, as in 大概 (dàgài). Remember that the heart radical 忄 goes with feelings, so 感慨 and 慷慨 use 慨.
Common words with 慨
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
慨 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 慨
How many strokes are in 慨?
慨 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 慨 mean?
慨 (kǎi) means sigh, regret, lament; generosity. A common word with it is 慷慨 (kāngkǎi), meaning "vehement; fervent; generous; magnanimous".
How do you pronounce 慨?
慨 is pronounced kǎi, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 慨?
The radical of 慨 is 忄, which carries the idea of "heart". Dictionaries list 慨 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 慨?
The traditional form of 慨 is 嘅. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 慨 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 慨 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 慨 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 感慨 and 感叹?
Both involve sighing with emotion. 感慨 suggests deeper reflection, often about the passing of time or how things have changed. 感叹 is a more general exclamation of feeling and is also the word in 感叹号 (gǎntànhào), exclamation mark.
Does 慷慨 only mean generous with money?
No. 慷慨 can mean generous with money, time or help, and it can also mean impassioned or fervent, as in 慷慨激昂 (kāngkǎi jī'áng), full of passionate indignation.