Chinese word

认错

Pronunciation

Pinyinrèn cuò

Meaning

  • verbapologize

Example

他向我当面认错了。tā xiàng wǒ dāng miàn rèn cuò le

He apologized to me face-to-face.

Illustration for 认错 (apologize)

More examples

在电视上他公开认错，请求观众的谅解。zài diàn shì shàng tā gōng kāi rèn cuò qǐng qiú guān zhòng de liàng jiě

On television, he publicly apologized and asked viewers for forgiveness.

Core concept

Recognition that an error belongs to oneself, sometimes extending to treating the wrong person or thing as the right one.

Common phrases

  • 当面认错dāng miàn rèn cuò

    apologize face-to-face

  • 向对方认错xiàng duì fāng rèn cuò

    apologize to the other person

  • 公开认错gōng kāi rèn cuò

    apologize publicly

Similar words

道歉dào qiàn: Saying sorry to someone for a mistake, fault, or trouble caused.
承认chéng rèn: Recognizing and openly admitting that a fact or mistake is true.

Definition in Chinese

承认并表示对自己错误的悔意或歉意，口语中有时也可表示把人或事物认错。chéng rèn bìng biǎo shì duì zì jǐ cuò wù de huǐ yì huò qiàn yì kóu yǔ zhōng yǒu shí yě kě biǎo shì bǎ rén huò shì wù rèn cuò

Word origin

认 (rèn, "recognize or admit") + 错 (cuò, "wrong") forms a verb for recognizing that something is wrong, especially one's own action or judgment.

Usage tips

  • For an apology, 向 (xiàng, "toward") often marks the person addressed, while a mistaken person or object can follow the verb directly; this word order helps identify the intended sense.

Other meanings

  • acknowledge one's mistakeverb
  • misidentifyverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word