Chinese–EnglishWith examples

可怜

kě lián · ke lian

Traditional 可憐

HSK 5Old HSK 4

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. pitiful
  2. pathetic
  3. to have pity on
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In a conversation

0:24 cartoon

Poor little dog

  1. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)看(kàn)，那只(nàzhī)小狗(xiǎogǒu)站(zhàn)在(zài)门口(ménkǒu)，好(hǎo)可怜(kělián)。

    Look, that little dog is standing at the door. Poor thing.

  2. Dengdeng

    它(tā)是不是(shìbùshì)一个人(yīgèrén)？

    Is it all alone?

  3. Liangliang

    不是(bùshì)，它(tā)的(de)主人(zhǔrén)在(zài)店里(diànlǐ)买东西(mǎidōngxi)，马上(mǎshàng)就(jiù)出来(chūlái)。

    No, its owner is shopping in the shop and will be right out.

  4. Dengdeng

    那(nà)它(tā)不(bù)可怜(kělián)了(le)，它(tā)在(zài)等(děng)主人(zhǔrén)。

    Then it's not pitiful. It's waiting for its owner.

  5. Liangliang

    可怜(kělián)的(de)是(shì)主人(zhǔrén)，店里(diànlǐ)排了(páile)很长(hěncháng)的(de)队(duì)。

    The poor one is the owner, there's a long queue in the shop.

  6. Dengdeng

    对(duì)，主人(zhǔrén)才(cái)可怜(kělián)。

    Right, it's the owner who's pitiful.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

可(kě)怜(lián)的(de)猫(māo)！ 她(tā)无(wú)法(fǎ)抓(zhuā)住(zhù)敏(mǐn)捷(jié)的(de)老(lǎo)鼠(shǔ)。

Poor cat! She can't catch the nimble mouse.

Tatoeba: Chinese by kanlaon · English by mervert1 · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

那(nà)只(zhī)流(liú)浪(làng)狗(gǒu)看(kàn)起(qǐ)来(lái)很(hěn)可(kě)怜(lián)，我(wǒ)们(men)给(gěi)它(tā)点(diǎn)吃(chī)的(de)吧(ba)。

That stray dog looks pitiful; let's give it something to eat.

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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