宽容

• Pinyin: kuān róng
• Hanzi breakdown: 宽 = wide/tolerant; 容 = 宀 (roof) + 谷 (valley) — to contain

Meaning

Tolerant; lenient; forgiving. Showing patience and acceptance toward others' faults or differences.

A valued virtue in interpersonal relationships and society. Implies accepting differences, forgiving mistakes, and not being harsh in judgment. Often discussed in contexts of social harmony and personal growth.

Examples

1. 社会需要更多的宽容和理解。 Society needs more tolerance and understanding.
2. 父母对孩子的错误要适当宽容。 Parents should be appropriately tolerant of their children's mistakes.
3. 宽容不等于纵容，该批评的还是要批评。 Tolerance doesn't mean indulgence — what deserves criticism should still be criticized.

Usage Guide

Context: relationships, education, society

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 请宽容他这一次。(Please be tolerant of him this time.)
• 宽容是一种美德。(Tolerance is a virtue.)

Don't Say

• 把宽容和软弱混为一谈。(Tolerance is not weakness — 宽容 implies strength of character, not inability to confront)

Origin & History

Compound of 宽 (wide/broad) + 容 (contain/tolerate). Literally 'broad enough to contain.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal