qiè

朅

Character · Adjective · VerbTraditional怯

timid; leave; brave

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

3 senses · 5 examples
1.

adjective

timid; cowardly; faint-hearted

Most common modern usage. Often appears in compounds describing fear or shyness.

Tā他
cóng从
xiǎo小
jiù就
hěn很
dǎn胆
qiè怯
 ，
bù不
gǎn敢
hé和
mò陌
shēng生
rén人
shuō说
huà话
 。

He has been very timid since childhood and dares not speak to strangers.

Dì第
yī一
cì次
shàng上
tái台
 ，
qiān千
wàn万
bié别
qiè怯
chǎng场
 。

Don't get stage fright when you go on stage for the first time.

Show 1 more example
Tā她
shēng生
xìng性
xiū羞
qiè怯
 ，
zǒng总
shì是
duǒ躲
zài在
rén人
qún群
hòu后
miàn面
 。

She is shy and timid by nature, always hiding behind the crowd.

2.

verb

to leave; to depart; to go away

archaic

Archaic literary usage (equivalent to 去 in classical Chinese). Rarely used in modern contexts.

Jūn君
zǐ子
qiè怯
 ，
zé则
mín民
zhī知
suǒ所
bì避
 。
 （
 古
 谚
 ）

When the nobleman departs, the people know where to take refuge. (Ancient proverb)

3.

adjective

brave; martial; valiant; fierce

archaic

Archaic usage found in pre-Qin texts and some dialects. In classical texts, 怯 occasionally carried the opposite meaning of 'brave' or 'fierce', possibly via dialectal variation.

Qí其
rén人
shèn甚
qiè怯
 ，
shàn善
zhàn战
 。
 （
 古
 籍
 用
 法
 ）

That man is very brave and skilled in warfare. (Classical usage)