HSK 6 · Objects

弦 xián “string (of an instrument or bow)” in Chinese

Same in Traditional

What 弦 means

  1. string (of an instrument or bow)
  2. bow string
  3. string of musical instrument
  4. watchspring
  5. chord (segment of curve)
More meanings from CC-CEDICT
  • hypotenuse

Measure word 根 gēn · 一根弦 yì gēn xián

How to say 弦

  • Pitch chart of the second tone: rises from mid to high, 3 to 5 on the five-level scale弦xián2nd tone, rising

弦 in a sentence

  1. 我弄断了我吉他的一根弦。

    Wǒ nòng duàn le wǒ jítā de yì gēn xián.

    I broke a string on my guitar.

    Sentence #392250 from Tatoeba

  2. 专家就好像一台只有一根弦的小提琴一样。

    Zhuānjiā jiù hǎoxiàng yì tái zhǐ yǒu yì gēn xián de xiǎotíqín yíyàng.

    Specialists are like a violin with only one string.

    Sentence #12990142 from Tatoeba · converted to simplified characters · translation adapted

  3. 我打算加入学校的管弦乐团。

    Wǒ dǎsuàn jiārù xuéxiào de guǎnxián yuètuán.

    I’m going to join the school orchestra.

    Sentence #618213 from Tatoeba · converted to simplified characters · translation adapted

How 弦 is built

Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.

The character 弦 (xián) with each of its parts in a different colour
弦xiánbow string
  • 弓bow · gōngMeaning part
  • 玄profound · xuánSound part

弓 hints at the meaning (bow); 玄 (xuán) hints at the sound. Compare it with xián.

How to write 弦

弦 8 strokes

Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.

弦 (xián) stroke order chart: each stroke of the character in the order you write it
Stroke order chart for 弦 (xián). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.

Words related to 弦

More words: Objects & Materials

铜tóng · copper丸wán · pill玩意儿wányìr · thing武器wǔqì · weapon纤维xiānwéi · fibre屑xiè · crumbs样品yàngpǐn · sample烟花爆竹yānhuābàozhú · fireworks and firecrackers

FAQs

弦 (xián) means “string (of an instrument or bow)” or “bow string”. It is an HSK 6 word.
Say it xián: xián with a 2nd tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
Yes. 弦 is written the same way in Simplified and Traditional characters.
Use 根 (gēn). For example, one string (of an instrument or bow) is 一根弦 (yì gēn xián).
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type xian with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 弦 from the suggestions. Typing xian into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
弦 is an HSK 6 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.

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Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.