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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "poor" in Chinese?
可怜
kě lián
In Chinese, "poor" is 可怜 (kě lián).
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Pronunciation
kě lián is voiced with "kě" dipped low then curled back up (third tone), then "lián" pushed upward like a question (second tone).
Writing and usage
可怜 is written using hanzi. It's a adjective, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.
Example sentence
他们贫穷但幸福。
tā men pín qióng dàn xìng fú 。
They were poor but happy.
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How to remember 可怜
Think of "kě lián" as sounding like "kuh lyen": imagine poor happening right as you say it.
Related words
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 可怜
How do you pronounce 可怜?
kě lián is voiced with "kě" dipped low then curled back up (third tone), then "lián" pushed upward like a question (second tone).
Is 可怜 formal or casual?
可怜 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.
How is 可怜 used in Chinese?
可怜 is used the same way as the equivalent English adjective. For example: 他们贫穷但幸福。 (They were poor but happy.).
Where can I practice Chinese words for free?
You can play free Chinese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the Chinese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Poor" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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