冤
yuān · HSK 7
injustice
🐇 宀 cover + 兔 rabbit = a rabbit pinned under a lid, trapped and wronged
The roof radical 宀 sits over 兔 rabbit: a creature held down with no way out, the very sense of injustice and grievance. Say yuān with a flat first tone, like a long unbroken complaint.
冤 — cover 冖 + rabbit 兔
Depicts a rabbit (兔) trapped under a cover (冖), unable to escape. This image of a creature wrongly confined gave rise to the meanings 'injustice,' 'wrong,' and 'grievance.' The character has retained this sense of unfair suffering since ancient times.