惨 Strokes Write it Listen 惨 cǎn miserable; wretched; cruel HSK 6 11 strokes Radical 忄 Sound + meaning 5 words Built from忄meaningxīnheart; mind; soul参soundcānto take part in, to intervene; ginseng How it works忄 hints at the meaning (heart), and 参 cān hints at the sound.