Meaning
宽恕
kuān shù
Forgiveness
- 宽
- wide, generous
- 恕
- to forgive
A generous, wide heart that forgives.
Forgiveness in Chinese
The Chinese word for forgiveness is 宽恕 (kuān shù). A generous, wide heart that forgives. In traditional characters it is written 寬恕.
宽恕
kuān shù
Forgiveness
What 宽恕 means.
When asked for one word to live by, Confucius answered 恕: “do not do to others what you would not want for yourself” (己所不欲，勿施于人). 宽 adds generosity, a heart wide enough to forgive.
- 宽
- wide, generous
- 恕
- to forgive
Simplified and traditional
宽恕
寬恕
Both are correct and mean the same. Traditional 寬恕 keeps the older, fuller shape that calligraphy grew up with; simplified 宽恕 is what most Chinese readers use today. Our seal and clerical styles write it in the traditional form.
Pick the shade of meaning.
Chinese often has more than one word where English has one. Here is how they differ.
Meaning
恕
shù
Forgiveness, consideration
- 恕
- to forgive, consideration
The Confucian character for forgiving consideration of others.
About forgiveness in Chinese
How do you write forgiveness in Chinese?
Forgiveness is 宽恕 in Chinese, pronounced kuān shù. Forgiveness 宽 means “wide, generous”, 恕 means “to forgive”.
How do you pronounce 宽恕?
Say kuān (first tone, high and level), shù (fourth tone, falling). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 宽恕 different in traditional Chinese?
Yes. The traditional form is 寬恕, used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and classical calligraphy; 宽恕 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore. Both are correct.
What other Chinese words mean forgiveness?
恕 (shù): Forgiveness, consideration The Confucian character for forgiving consideration of others.
Is 宽恕 a good Chinese tattoo?
Yes, it is a real, everyday Chinese word rather than a machine translation, so Chinese readers will understand it. Keep the characters in their order, top to bottom or left to right, and never mirrored. Choose a readable style such as Kaishu, bring a clean reference to your artist, and show it to a fluent reader before your appointment.