恨

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to hate; to regret

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Formation & memory

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Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

忄 meaning “heart” + 艮 sound ( gèn )

Components 忄艮

hate · Heisig RSH #2512

state of mind + silver

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
一失足成千古恨	yī shī zú chéng qiān gǔ hèn	a single slip may cause everlasting sorrow (idiom)
恨天高	hèn tiān gāo	(slang) sky-high heels; ultra-high-heeled shoes
恨之入骨	hèn zhī rù gǔ	to hate sb to the bone (idiom)
爱恨交加	ài hèn jiāo jiā	to feel a mixture of love and hate
恨不得	hèn bu de	wishing one could do sth; to hate to be unable; itching to do sth
恨不能	hèn bu néng	see 恨不得[hen4 bu5 de5]
恨铁不成钢	hèn tiě bù chéng gāng	lit. disappointed that iron does not turn into steel (idiom); fig. frustrated with sb who …
终天之恨	zhōng tiān zhī hèn	eternal regret
因爱成恨	yīn ài chéng hèn	hatred caused by love (idiom); to grow to hate someone because of unrequited love for that…
爱恨交织	ài hèn jiāo zhī	mixture of love and hate
怀恨在心	huái hèn zài xīn	to harbor hard feelings
恨人	hèn rén	provoking; exasperating
恨国	hèn guó	to hate one's country
千古遗恨	qiān gǔ yí hèn	to have eternal regrets (idiom)
恨事	hèn shì	a matter for regret or resentment
相见恨晚	xiāng jiàn hèn wǎn	to regret not having met earlier (idiom); It is nice to meet you finally.; It feels like w…
可恨	kě hèn	hateful
恨意	hèn yì	rancor; hatred; bitterness; resentfulness
深仇大恨	shēn chóu dà hèn	(idiom) bitter hatred
记恨	jì hèn	to bear grudges

Characters sharing the sound component 艮 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
艮 sound part	gèn	blunt; tough, chewy
眼	yǎn	eyelet, hole, opening
根	gēn	root, basis, foundation
银	yín	silver; cash, money, wealth
退	tuì	to retreat, to step back, to withdraw
限	xiàn	boundary, limit, line
跟	gēn	heel; to accompany, to follow; with
痕	hén	scar, mark; vestige, trace
龈	yín	gums
狠	hěn	vicious, fierce, cruel
垦	kěn	to cultivate, to farm; to reclaim
恳	kěn	sincere, earnest, cordial
垠	yín	boundary, river bank
哏	gén	the clamor of an argument; funny; odd
很	hěn	very, quite, much
茛	gèn	ranunculus
裉	kèn	a garment seam