HSK 5 · Ideas

现象 xiànxiàng “phenomenon” in Chinese

Traditional 現象

What 现象 means

  1. phenomenon
  2. appearance

Measure word 个 gè or 种 zhǒng · 一个现象 yí ge xiànxiàng

How to say 现象

  • Pitch chart of the fourth tone: falls from high to low, 5 to 1 on the five-level scale现xiàn4th tone, falling
  • Pitch chart of the fourth tone: falls from high to low, 5 to 1 on the five-level scale象xiàng4th tone, falling

现象 in a sentence

  1. 彩虹是一种自然现象。

    Cǎihóng shì yì zhǒng zìrán xiànxiàng.

    A rainbow is a natural phenomenon.

    Sentence #565438 from Tatoeba · converted to simplified characters

  2. 数据表明年轻人抽烟的现象没有减少。

    Shùjù biǎomíng niánqīngrén chōuyān de xiànxiàng méiyǒu jiǎnshǎo.

    The data show that smoking among young people hasn’t decreased.

    Sentence #332928 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

  3. 这是我以前从未见过的现象。

    Zhè shì wǒ yǐqián cóngwèi jiànguo de xiànxiàng.

    It’s a phenomenon I’ve never seen before.

    Sentence #13519103 from Tatoeba · converted to simplified characters

How 现象 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 现 (xiàn) with each of its parts in a different colour
现xiànto appear
  • 王king · wáng
  • 见to see · jiàn

Memory aid王 here is jade 玉, and 见 gives the sound (it was once also read xiàn, “to appear”). Picture jade catching the eye: to appear, now.

The character 象 (xiàng) with each of its parts in a different colour
象xiàngelephant
  • ⺈knife form of 刀 · dāo
  • 口mouth · kǒu
  • 豕pig · shǐMeaning part

How to write 现象

现 8 strokes · 象 11 strokes

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

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

Words related to 现象

Words with 现

现在xiànzài · now发现fāxiàn · discover出现chūxiàn · to appear现金xiànjīn · cash现代xiàndài · modern times表现biǎoxiàn · to show实现shíxiàn · to achieve体现tǐxiàn · to embody现实xiànshí · reality现场xiànchǎng · scene

Words with 象

印象yìnxiàng · impression对象duìxiàng · target象棋xiàngqí · Chinese chess想象xiǎngxiàng · to imagine抽象chōuxiàng · abstract大象dàxiàng · elephant象征xiàngzhēng · emblem形象xíngxiàng · image气象qìxiàng · meteorology迹象jìxiàng · sign

More words: Ideas & Concepts

数shù · number特色tèsè · distinctive feature特征tèzhēng · characteristic细节xìjié · details象征xiàngzhēng · emblem效率xiàolǜ · efficiency行为xíngwéi · action形式xíngshì · form

FAQs

现象 (xiànxiàng) means “phenomenon” or “appearance”. It is an HSK 5 word.
Say it xiànxiàng: xiàn with a 4th tone, then xiàng with a 4th tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
In Traditional characters, used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, 现象 is written 現象. The pronunciation is the same.
Use 个 (gè) or 种 (zhǒng). For example, one phenomenon is 一个现象 (yí ge xiànxiàng).
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type xianxiang with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 现象 from the suggestions. Typing xianxiang into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
现象 is an HSK 5 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.

Turn words into conversations

A dictionary gives you the words. A native teacher shows you how to use them. Start with a free 30-minute intro call.

Book a free intro call

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.