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峴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
峴xiànsteep hill; a mountain in Hubeizg, 10 strokes, radical 山
xiàn(xian4) T4
  1. 1steep hill; a mountain in Hubei
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March 24, 2026

峴xiàn(xian4)

The character 峴 (xiàn) refers to a steep hill or a specific mountain located in Hubei province. It is often used in geographical contexts to denote rugged terrain, and it may appear in place names or descriptions of landscapes. This word conveys a sense of elevation and difficulty in traversing steep areas.

Strokes10Radical山
Cultural Note

峴 is associated with the rugged beauty of Hubei province, which is known for its diverse landscapes and mountainous regions. The character can evoke images of traditional Chinese poetry that often celebrates nature's grandeur.

Memory Tip

Think of 峴 as a steep mountain with a jagged peak. The radical 山 (mountain) at the bottom is a clue, while the top part resembles a steep slope. Imagine climbing this steep hill and yelling 'xiàn!' to your friends below, reminding them how steep it is!

Meanings of 峴

xiàn(xian4)
1steep hill; a mountain in Hubei
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 峴

峴Simplified
10Strokes
山Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 峴

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Podcast: 峴

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AI Study Notes for 峴

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 峴 with similar characters that have different meanings, such as 山 (mountain) or 岩 (rock). It is more commonly used in written Chinese than in everyday conversation, and learners should be cautious about using it in informal contexts. Common collocations include '峴山' (Xiàn Mountain), referring to a specific location.

HSK Study Tips

While 峴 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it is beneficial for learners at HSK Level 3 and above to familiarize themselves with geographical terms. Students should focus on recognizing characters with similar radicals and understanding their meanings in context.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 峴 with 山, mistakenly using it to refer to any mountain instead of specifically a steep hill. For example, saying '我去峴山' (I go to the mountain) when they just mean 'mountain' would be incorrect, as it implies a specific steep hill.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 峴

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Etymology of 峴

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A mountain 山 that affords a good view 見; 見 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 峴

  1. 1The giveawayA mountain 山 that affords a good view 見; 見 also provides the pronunciation
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 峴? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 峴?

Decomposition of 峴

IDS Structure⿰山見
峴Full Character
=
山Shan1
left
見jian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 峴?

How to say steep hill; a mountain in Hubei in Chinese

“steep hill; a mountain in Hubei” in Chinese is峴xiàn

The character 峴 (xiàn) refers to a steep hill or a specific mountain located in Hubei province. It is often used in geographical contexts to denote rugged terrain, and it may appear in place names or descriptions of landscapes. This word conveys a sense of elevation and difficulty in traversing steep areas.

When to use 峴

Learners often confuse 峴 with similar characters that have different meanings, such as 山 (mountain) or 岩 (rock). It is more commonly used in written Chinese than in everyday conversation, and learners should be cautious about using it in informal contexts. Common collocations include '峴山' (Xiàn Mountain), referring to a specific location.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 峴 with 山, mistakenly using it to refer to any mountain instead of specifically a steep hill. For example, saying '我去峴山' (I go to the mountain) when they just mean 'mountain' would be incorrect, as it implies a specific steep hill.

Write 峴

峴

Practice writing 峴 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 峴

Words Containing This Character2
岘港Da Nang or Danang, Vietnam峴港
岘xiànsteep hill峴
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 岘港 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 峴

It is pronounced as 'xiàn' with a falling tone.

Jason Recommends

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