怂

慫

sóng, sǒng

从 + 心

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 (the simplified form of 慫) is a phono-semantic compound: the heart radical 心 at the bottom signals a connection to mental or emotional phenomena, while 从 on top indicates the pronunciation. Historically, it denotes the act of prodding or tempting someone into doing something, especially something ill-advised or dangerous. In its contemporary slang incarnation, 怂 has flipped to mean cowardly, gutless, or easily intimidated, a shift that metaphorically depicts the heart or courage shrinking back from a threat. This new meaning is now so pervasive that it often overshadows the original one in everyday speech.

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