善 (shàn) - Good, virtuous, kind & excellent

善Tone 4

shàn ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

响喻

善 · shàn

Good, virtuous, kind;

excellent;

adept at;

to be good at;

to make good;

to improve;

friendly.

Good, virtuous, kindexcellentadept at

Usage highlights

KindnessGood deedsTo be good atBenevolenceImprovementPhilanthropy

Synonyms

  • 良— Good, fine
  • 好— Good, nice
  • 慈— Compassionate, benevolent

Antonyms

  • 恶— Evil, wicked
  • 坏— Bad
  • 凶— Fierce, cruel

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He is a kind person (善良的人).
  • She is good at playing the piano (擅长弹钢琴).
  • We should do good deeds (做善事).
  • They reached a friendly agreement (达成善意的协议).

Collocations

  • Kindness(善良)
  • Good deeds(善事)
  • To be good at(擅长)
  • Benevolence(善心)
  • Improvement(改善)
  • Philanthropy(慈善)

Idioms

  • Accumulate virtue and do good deeds(积善行德)
  • From good to better(善始善终)
  • A face of benevolence but a heart of malice(笑面虎)
  • To do good is the happiest thing(为善最乐)
  • Able to distinguish good from evil(能辨善恶)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Confucianism, '善' is a core virtue representing moral excellence and benevolence.
  • Buddhism emphasizes '善' through concepts of good karma (善业) and compassion.
  • The character appears in many philosophical texts discussing human nature and ethics.

FAQ