可怜 (kělián) — how to say "pitiful" in Chinese

可怜

Pitiful, to pity

Radicals / Keys

Mouth

#30 · kǒu · 3 strokes

Heart

#61 · xīn · 4 strokes

Examples

那个孩子在雨天里没有伞,一个人走路回家,看起来真可怜

That child was walking home alone in the rain without an umbrella, looking really pitiful.

这只小狗很可怜

This puppy is very pitiful.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say "pitiful" in Chinese?

"pitiful" in Chinese is 可怜 (kělián).

What does 可怜 mean in English?

可怜 (kělián) means "Pitiful, to pity".

How is 可怜 pronounced?

It is pronounced kělián (written as kelian). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.

How do you write "pitiful" in Chinese characters?

It is written 可怜.

What HSK level is 可怜?

可怜 belongs to the HSK 4 vocabulary list.

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