Writing
残 (cán) — how to say "cruel" in Chinese
残
Cruel; incomplete
verb
Character composition
残
cruel; incomplete
Radicals / Keys
歹
Death
#78 · dǎi · 4 strokes
Collocations
严而不残
yán ér bù cán
strict but not cruel
Examples
这个残暴的行为令人发指。
This cruel behavior is outrageous.
他很残。
He is cruel.
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Frequently asked questions
Cruel meaning in Chinese
"cruel" in Chinese is 残 (cán).
残 meaning in English
残 (cán) means "Cruel; incomplete".
How is 残 pronounced?
It is pronounced cán (written as can). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.
How do you write "cruel" in Chinese characters?
It is written 残 and has 9 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order and lets you trace it.
What HSK 3.0 level is 残?
残 is on the HSK 3.0 levels 7–9 word list. It is not part of the six-level HSK 2.0 lists.
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