懺 meaning and stroke order
To regret, to repent; confession, penitence
How to write 懺, stroke by stroke
20 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 懺
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to feel remorse
- (bound form) scripture read to atone for sb's sins (from Sanskrit "ksama")
How 懺 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Heart.
忄 gives the meaning and 韱 hints at the sound.
Radical: 忄 (heart), shared by 167 characters on this site.
How to remember 懺
懺 (chàn) puts the heart radical 忄 beside 韱, which gives the sound. Think of a heart that aches with remorse, ready to confess.
懺 is a bound form, so it almost always appears inside words, most often 懺悔 (chànhuǐ), meaning to repent or, in religion, to confess. It also shows up in Buddhist terms for scriptures read to atone for sins. Example: 他為自己的錯誤懺悔。(Tā wèi zìjǐ de cuòwù chànhuǐ.) He repented for his mistakes.
Common mistake: Learners often write the right side 韱 wrong because it is dense and unfamiliar. It is easy to confuse with the right side of 纖 (xiān, fine) or 殲 (jiān, annihilate), which share the same component. Also note the tone is fourth, chàn, not chán.
Common words with 懺
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 懺悔 | chànhuǐ | to repent; (religion) to confess |
Questions about 懺
How many strokes are in 懺?
懺 is written with 20 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 懺 mean?
懺 (chàn) means to regret, to repent; confession, penitence. A common word with it is 忏悔 (chànhuǐ), meaning "to repent; (religion) to confess".
How do you pronounce 懺?
懺 is pronounced chàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 懺?
The radical of 懺 is 忄, which carries the idea of "heart". Dictionaries list 懺 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 懺?
懺 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 忏, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Can I use 懺 by itself to say I regret something?
Not usually. 懺 is a bound form, so you say 懺悔 (chànhuǐ). For everyday regret, 後悔 (hòuhuǐ) is more common and less religious or formal.
What is the difference between 懺悔 and 後悔?
後悔 (hòuhuǐ) simply means to regret a choice. 懺悔 (chànhuǐ) is heavier and implies moral remorse, confession, or repentance, often in a religious setting.