眘 (shèn) - Prudent, careful, cautious — an archaic character meaning

眘Tone 4

shèn ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

上姝

眘 · shèn

Prudent, careful, cautious — an archaic character meaning to be careful, cautious, or prudent in one's actions and words.

Prudent, careful, cautious — an archaic character meaning

Usage highlights

Prudent actionCautious speechCareful thoughtPrudent governanceExtreme cautionPrudent and respectful

Synonyms

  • 慎— prudent, careful, cautious
  • 谨— cautious, careful
  • 小心— careful, cautious

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He acted with great prudence (眘行).
  • Ancient texts advise caution in speech (眘言).
  • One must be careful in thought (眘思).
  • The ruler governed with prudence (眘治).

Collocations

  • Prudent action(眘行)
  • Cautious speech(眘言)
  • Careful thought(眘思)
  • Prudent governance(眘治)
  • Extreme caution(深眘)
  • Prudent and respectful(眘敬)

Idioms

  • Be prudent in words and actions(眘言眘行)
  • Extremely careful and cautious(深眘其行)
  • Prudent in conduct and respectful in manner(眘行敬事)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 眘 is an archaic variant of 慎 (shèn), sharing the same meaning of prudence and caution.
  • In classical Chinese philosophy, prudence (眘/慎) was considered an important virtue for rulers and scholars.
  • The character appears in ancient texts but is rarely used in modern Chinese, having been largely replaced by 慎.

FAQ