惨 cǎn miserable
miserable; wretched; tragic
How to remember 惨: 忄 heart + 参 take part = miserable. Paul came to take part in a chess tournament, but after a night with bedbugs in the hotel his heart sinks and he feels miserable.
Component breakdown
惨 = 忄 heart + 参 take part
- 忄 heart
- 参 take part
- 厶 cocoon
- 大 big
- 彡 hairs
Paul came to take part in a chess tournament, but after a night with bedbugs in the hotel his heart sinks and he feels miserable.
How it is used
- Tragic/miserable; also intensifies badness: 悲惨 (bēicǎn) wretched, 惨重 (cǎnzhòng) grievous (losses), 惨败 (cǎnbài) a crushing defeat.
- 惨白 (cǎnbái) = deathly pale; 惨不忍睹 (cǎnbùrěndǔ) = too horrible to look at.
- Colloquially 惨了 (cǎn le) = oh no, I'm done for.