怂

慫

sóng, sǒng

从 + 心

Frequency#3702

Definitions

sóng variant of 㞞|𪨊[sóng]

sǒng used in 慫恿|怂恿[sǒng yǒng]; (literary) terrified

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 从 represents the sound. Simplified form of 慫.

Semantic: 心 Phonetic: 从

About

The character "怂", with its traditional form "慫", is structurally composed of the component "从" (or "從" in traditional) meaning "to follow" positioned above "心" meaning "heart" or "mind", a configuration that hints at a relationship to internal disposition. Etymologically, this character originally denoted the act of urging or instigating, a sense preserved in the classical compound "怂恿" meaning to incite or egg on. Over centuries, its core meaning transitioned from this active sense of provoking others to a passive description of one's own mental state, so that in contemporary usage it primarily conveys the idea of timidity, fearfulness, or being cowardly.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他怂恿我去打球。

Tā sǒngyǒng wǒ qù dǎqiú.

He instigated me to go play ball.

你别认怂啊！

Nǐ bié rèn sǒng a!

Don't you back down!

哥哥怂恿弟弟爬树。

Gēge sǒngyǒng dìdi pá shù.

The older brother instigated the younger brother to climb the tree.

不要怂恿朋友犯错。

Búyào sǒngyǒng péngyou fàn cuò.

Don't instigate friends to make mistakes.

她怂恿我参加比赛，我赢了。

Tā sǒngyǒng wǒ cānjiā bǐsài, wǒ yíng le.

She instigated me to join the competition, and I won.

面对挑战，他没有认怂。

Miànduì tiǎozhàn, tā méiyǒu rèn sǒng.

Facing the challenge, he did not back down.

尽管大家都怂恿他，他还是坚持自己的决定。

Jǐnguǎn dàjiā dōu sǒngyǒng tā, tā háishì jiānchí zìjǐ de juédìng.

Even though everyone instigated him, he still insisted on his own decision.

他的怂恿背后隐藏着不可告人的目的。

Tā de sǒngyǒng bèihòu yǐncáng zhe bùkěgàorén de mùdì.

Behind his instigation lies ulterior motives.

Related Characters

Component: 从

Component: 心

怂