弦(xián)

HSK 7-98 strokes

bow string

Print a 弦 worksheet PDFPractice writing 弦

Stroke order animation

Character information

Pinyin
xián
Meaning
bow string; string of musical instrument; watchspring; chord (segment of curve); hypotenuse; CL:根[gen1]
Strokes
8
HSK level
HSK 7-9
Traditional
Same

Origin & structure

Where 弦 comes from and how its parts fit together.

Phonetic-semantic compound⿰弓玄

In this compound, the meaning comes from 弓 (bow); 玄 supplies the sound.

One part carries the meaning, the other suggests the sound.

Made of

弓gōng玄xuán

Parts are arranged left to right.

How to write 弦 step by step

8 strokes — each frame adds one stroke, shown in dark ink over the lighter ones.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8

Words with 弦

Common words using 弦 — tap any character to open its stroke-order page.

kòu扣rén人xīn心xián弦
HSK 7-9

to excite

Open 扣人心弦 page →
sān三xián弦

sanxian, large family of 3-stringed plucked musical instruments, with snake…

Open 三弦 page →
shàng上xián弦

to wind up a watch, clockwork toy etc; to tighten the string of a bow, viol…

Open 上弦 page →
xià下xián弦

last quarter, aka third quarter (phase of the moon)

Open 下弦 page →
shàng上xián弦yuè月

first quarter moon

Open 上弦月 page →
hé和xián弦

(music) chord

Open 和弦 page →
gōng弓xián弦

bowstring

Open 弓弦 page →
xián弦wài外zhī之yì意

see 弦外之音[xian2 wai4 zhi1 yin1]

Open 弦外之意 page →

Related characters

More HSK 7-9 characters

丁丐丘丙丛丝丫丸

From 弦’s common words

扣人心三上下月和

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