Meaning of 恨
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to hate
- to regret
How to use 恨
恨 can mean strong hatred, but it often also carries regret, as in 悔恨 (huǐhèn, remorse). In daily speech, 恨不得 (hènbude) is very common and means you badly wish you could do something. Example: 我恨不得马上回家。(Wǒ hènbude mǎshàng huí jiā.) I wish I could go home right now.
恨 (hèn) has the heart radical 忄 on the left and 艮 (gèn) on the right, which also hints at the sound. Picture a heart that has gone stiff and stubborn, refusing to let go of a bad feeling.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 恨 (hèn) with 很 (hěn, very), which has the same right side but the 彳 radical and a third tone. Remember that 恨 has the heart 忄 because it is a feeling.
恨 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
恨 hèn · to hate · 9 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 恨.
| 仇恨 | chóuhèn | to hate; hatred |
| 怨恨 | yuànhèn | to resent; to harbor a grudge against |
| 恨不得 | hènbude | wishing one could do sth; to hate to be unable; itching to do sth |
| 悔恨 | huǐhèn | remorse; repentance |
| 憎恨 | zēnghèn | to detest; hatred |
| 痛恨 | tònghèn | to detest; to loathe |
| 可恨 | kěhèn | hateful |
| 怀恨在心 | huáihènzàixīn | to harbor hard feelings |
| 恨意 | hènyì | rancor; hatred |
Questions about 恨
What does 恨 mean?
恨 (hèn) means "to hate; to regret" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 恨?
恨 is made of 1 character: 恨 (9 strokes). That is 9 strokes in total.
Is 恨 an HSK word?
Yes. 恨 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 恨 and 讨厌?
恨 (hèn) is strong, deep hatred or bitter regret. 讨厌 (tǎoyàn) is milder and means to dislike or find something annoying. For everyday complaints like disliking rain, use 讨厌, not 恨.
Is 恨 always negative in meaning?
Not always. In 恨不得 it expresses eager wishing, and in phrases like 恨铁不成钢 (hèn tiě bù chéng gāng) it shows frustration from caring about someone who is not living up to their potential.