悯

憫

mǐn

忄 + 闵

Definitions

mǐn to sympathize; to pity; to feel compassion for; (literary) to feel sorrow; to be grieved

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 闵 represents the sound. Simplified form of 憫.

Semantic: 忄 Phonetic: 闵

About

The character 悯 (mǐn) is a phono-semantic compound. Its left-side radical 忄 (heart) directly links it to emotions and internal states, while the right component 闵 provides the phonetic element, simplifying the traditional form 閔 in 憫. This structure centers its meaning on pity, compassion, and sympathy for others' suffering. The heart radical underscores the empathetic nature of these feelings, making 悯 essential in vocabulary for expressing mercy, commiseration, and deep concern for those in hardship.

Etymology Hide

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他常常怜悯他人。

Tā chángcháng liánmǐn tārén.

He often pities others.

我怜悯那些无家可归的人。

Wǒ liánmǐn nàxiē wú jiā kě guī de rén.

I pity those homeless people.

她怜悯小狗并带它回家。

Tā liánmǐn xiǎo gǒu bìng dài tā huí jiā.

She pitied the little dog and took it home.

我们应当悯恤老人的困难。

Wǒmen yīngdāng mǐnxù lǎorén de kùnnan.

We should sympathize with the difficulties of the elderly.

你不该怜悯欺骗你的人。

Nǐ bù gāi liánmǐn qīpiàn nǐ de rén.

You shouldn't pity those who deceive you.

为什么他总是怜悯失败者？

Wèishéme tā zǒngshì liánmǐn shībài zhě?

Why does he always pity the losers?

看到灾民的苦难，他心生怜悯。

Kàndào zāimín de kǔnàn, tā xīn shēng liánmǐn.

Seeing the suffering of the disaster victims, he felt pity in his heart.

尽管自己也不富裕，她仍悯恤那些更不幸的人，并尽力帮助他们。

Jǐnguǎn zìjǐ yě bù fùyù, tā réng mǐnxù nàxiē gèng bùxìng de rén, bìng jìnlì bāngzhù tāmen.

Although she is not wealthy herself, she still sympathizes with those more unfortunate people and tries her best to help them.

Related Characters

Component: 忄

悯