可怜 kě lián
“pitiful; pathetic; to have pity on”
verb, adjective, verb / nounHSK 4 · 2021 list level 5Traditional 可憐
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
可怜 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 4384: 可怜 kělián — Level 6; official annotation 6 (形、动). PDF page 189
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 可怜
可怜 most often means "pitiful" or "poor" as an adjective, describing a person or situation that makes you feel sympathy. It can also be used as a verb meaning "to pity someone." Common patterns are 很/真可怜, 觉得…很可怜, and 可怜某人.
例句Example sentences
- 这只小狗没有家，看起来很可怜。zhè zhī xiǎo gǒu méi yǒu jiā, kàn qǐ lái hěn kě lián.This little dog has no home and looks pitiful.
- 她生病了，一个人在医院，真可怜。tā shēng bìng le, yí gè rén zài yī yuàn, zhēn kě lián.She is sick and alone in the hospital; how pitiful.
- 我很可怜那个孩子，所以帮了他。wǒ hěn kě lián nà ge hái zi, suǒ yǐ bāng le tā.I pitied that child, so I helped him.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗我对他很可怜。
✓我很可怜他。
As a verb, 可怜 takes the person as its object; as an adjective, it describes the subject, not a 对 phrase.