惨 (cǎn) - Miserable, tragic, pitiful & cruel, merciless

惨Tone 3

cǎn ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

偲嫦

惨 · cǎn

Miserable, tragic, pitiful;

cruel, merciless;

severe, to a serious degree.

Miserable, tragic, pitifulcruel, mercilesssevere, to a serious degree.

Usage highlights

Miserable conditionTragic deathCrushing defeatPainful lessonBrutal killingDisastrous loss

Synonyms

  • 悲— sad, sorrowful
  • 凄— dreary, bleak
  • 苦— bitter, painful

Antonyms

  • 乐— happy, joyful
  • 喜— delighted, pleased
  • 欢— joyous, merry

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The accident scene was tragic (惨状).
  • They suffered a miserable defeat (惨败).
  • The news was devastating (惨痛的消息).
  • He died a miserable death (惨死).

Collocations

  • Miserable condition(惨状)
  • Tragic death(惨死)
  • Crushing defeat(惨败)
  • Painful lesson(惨痛的教训)
  • Brutal killing(惨杀)
  • Disastrous loss(惨重损失)

Idioms

  • A tragic sight that shocks the heart(惨不忍睹)
  • A tragic situation that pains the heart(惨不忍闻)
  • A fierce and tragic battle(惨烈战斗)
  • A tragic defeat with heavy losses(惨败而归)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used in historical contexts to describe tragic events, wars, and natural disasters.
  • Frequently appears in literature and news reports to emphasize the severity of suffering.
  • Can be used metaphorically to describe extreme situations, like '惨败' (crushing defeat) in sports.

FAQ