忍 rěn to endure
to endure; to bear; to suffer; to tolerate
How to remember 忍: 刃 knife edge + 心 heart = to endure. The chef cuts her finger on the knife edge, but with a brave heart she grits her teeth to endure the last hour of service.
Component breakdown
忍 = 刃 knife edge + 心 heart
- 刃 knife edge
- 心 heart
The chef cuts her finger on the knife edge, but with a brave heart she grits her teeth to endure the last hour of service.
How it is used
- 忍 means to endure/bear, and its most useful everyday form is the pattern 忍不住 (rěnbuzhù) "can't help (doing something)" - 他忍不住笑了 (tā rěnbuzhù xiào le) - he couldn't help laughing.
- 忍受 (rěnshòu) is to endure suffering or hardship: 忍受痛苦 (rěnshòu tòngkǔ) to endure pain.
- 容忍 (róngrěn) is more formal, meaning to tolerate/put up with (a person's behavior or a situation), while 忍耐 (rěnnài) stresses patient self-restraint over time.
- 残忍 (cánrěn) "cruel" uses 忍 in a different sense (someone who can bear to inflict suffering), so don't mix it up with the "endure" family of words.