Learn a Chinese Character - 狠 (Hěn - Ruthless; cruel; fierce; harsh; Resolute; firm; strict; severe)

1. Character Basics

Radical: 犭/quǎn (dog) + 艮/gèn (stop)

Stroke Count: 9 strokes

Stroke Order:

Pinyin: Hěn (Third tone)

Basic Meaning: Ruthless; cruel; fierce; harsh

Extended Meaning: Resolute; firm; strict; severe

Additional Notes: Can describe both negative qualities (cruelty) and positive qualities (determination), depending on context.

狠心 (hěn xīn) - Ruthless; cruel-hearted

他太狠心了。(Tā tài hěnxīn le.) - He is too ruthless.
狠毒 (hěn dú) - Vicious; cruel

这个人很狠毒。(Zhè ge rén hěn hěndú.) - This person is very vicious.
狠辣 (hěn là) - Ruthless; merciless

他的手段很狠辣。(Tā de shǒuduàn hěn hěnlà.) - His methods are very ruthless.
狠狠 (hěn hěn) - Severely; fiercely

他狠狠地打了一拳。(Tā hěnhěn de dǎ le yīquán.) - He punched hard.
狠劲 (hěn jìn) - Determination; strength of will

他有一股狠劲。(Tā yǒu yīgǔ hěnjìn.) - He has a lot of determination.

Part of Speech: Adjective, Adverb

Usage:

As an adjective describing a person's character

那个老板很狠。(Nàge lǎobǎn hěn hěn.) - That boss is very ruthless.
As an adverb modifying verbs to indicate intensity

他狠狠地批评了我。(Tā hěnhěn de pīpíng le wǒ.) - He severely criticized me.
Can also express determination or strong will

我狠下心来学习。(Wǒ hěnxiàxīn lái xuéxí.) - I made up my mind to study hard.

Common Structures:

The character "狠" carries complex cultural connotations in Chinese society, reflecting both negative and positive aspects of human behavior.

Historical Context: In traditional Chinese culture, being "狠" was sometimes seen as necessary for survival or leadership, especially in competitive situations.
Philosophical Perspective: The concept of "狠" intersects with Confucian ideas of benevolence and Daoist principles of balance. Excessive "狠" is generally discouraged, while controlled determination is valued.
Literary Representation: In Chinese literature, characters with "狠" qualities often play complex roles, sometimes as villains and other times as heroes driven by necessity.
Modern Usage: Today, "狠" is commonly used in business contexts to describe decisive leadership, as well as in everyday language to express strong emotions or actions.

The dual nature of "狠" makes it a fascinating character that reflects the complexity of human nature and cultural values.

Sentence 1:

他对自己狠一点，才能成功。(Tā duì zìjǐ hěn yīdiǎn, cái néng chénggōng.)

He needs to be tough on himself to succeed.

Sentence 2:

不要对孩子太狠。(Bùyào duì háizi tài hěn.)

Don't be too harsh on children.

Sentence 3:

她狠下心来离开了这个城市。(Tā hěnxiàxīn lái líkāi le zhège chéngshì.)

She made up her mind to leave this city.

1. Structure Memory: "狠" consists of 犭 (dog radical) and 艮 (stop). Imagine a fierce dog that won't stop, representing determination or ferocity.

2. Tone Association: Remember that "狠" has the same pronunciation (hěn) as "很" but with different meanings. Pay attention to the context.

3. Word Pairing: Learn words containing "狠" and group them by their positive or negative connotations to avoid confusion.

4. Stroke Order Practice: Practice writing the character, starting with the 犭 radical on the left and then the 艮 part on the right.

5. Contextual Examples: Create sentences using "狠" in both positive (determined) and negative (cruel) contexts to understand its versatility.