Chinese word

恨

Pronunciation

Pinyinhèn

Meaning

  • verbhate

Example

我恨他。wǒ hèn tā

I hate him.

Illustration for 恨 (hate)

More examples

他因为被冤枉，一直怀恨在心。tā yīn wèi bèi yuān wǎng yì zhí huái hèn zài xīn

Because he was wronged, he has held a grudge ever since.

Core concept

An angry feeling held onto so strongly that it remains attached to the person or thing that caused it.

Common phrases

  • 怀恨在心huái hèn zài xīn

    hold a grudge

  • 恨他hèn tā

    hold a grudge against him

  • 恨透了hèn tòu le

    hate intensely

Similar words

憎恨zēng hèn: To feel intense hatred and hostility toward someone.
怨恨yuàn hèn: To keep feeling bitter toward someone because of harm or unfair treatment received.
仇视chóu shì: To see someone as an enemy and treat them in a hostile way.
讨厌tǎo yàn: To feel that someone or something is unpleasant and not to like it.

Definition in Chinese

对某人或某事抱有深刻的怨恨，常伴随记恨或想要报复的情绪。duì mǒu rén huò mǒu shì bào yǒu shēn kè de yuàn hèn cháng bàn suí jì hèn huò xiǎng yào bào fù de qíng xù

Word origin

恨 (hèn, "to hate") combines 忄 (xīn, "heart") + 艮 (gèn, "phonetic element"), marking it as a heart-related word while 艮 supplies the sound.

Usage tips

  • For everyday complaints, English speakers often say "I hate" without deep hostility, whereas this Chinese verb normally carries more emotional weight.

Other meanings

  • grudgenoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word