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揎 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
揎xuānto pull up one's sleeves; to prepare to fightv, 12 strokes, radical 扌
揎xuānto roll up one's sleevesunknown, 12 strokes, radical 扌
揎xuānto slap with the palmunknown, 12 strokes, radical 扌
xuān(xuan1) T1
  1. 1to pull up one's sleeves; to prepare to fight
  2. 2to roll up one's sleeves
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March 24, 2026

揎xuān(xuan1)

The character 揎 (xuān) means to pull up one's sleeves, often indicating preparation for a task or a fight. It conveys a sense of readiness and can also imply a physical act of slapping or striking with the palm. This verb is typically used in contexts that involve taking action or gearing up for a challenge.

Strokes12Radical扌
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the act of rolling up one's sleeves is often associated with hard work and determination, reflecting a strong work ethic. It can be seen in various cultural sayings that emphasize perseverance.

Memory Tip

Imagine someone rolling up their sleeves before a big fight, ready to get their hands dirty. The character 揎 looks like a hand (扌) getting ready to slap (the action of pulling up sleeves), and the sound 'xuān' can remind you of a swift motion, like a sudden action.

Meanings of 揎

xuān(xuan1)
1to pull up one's sleeves; to prepare to fight
2to roll up one's sleeves
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 揎

揎Simplified
12Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 揎

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Podcast: 揎

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AI Study Notes for 揎

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 揎 with other similar characters that involve hand actions. It's important to use this word in contexts related to preparation or action, rather than in passive situations. Common collocations include phrases about preparing for work or a confrontation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 揎 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it relates to other HSK Level 2 words that involve actions and physical engagement. Students should focus on the context of action verbs and how they can convey readiness and preparation.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 揎 in contexts where a more passive verb would be appropriate, as in 'I am ready' instead of 'I am preparing to act.' For example, saying '我揎好' instead of '我准备好了' (I am ready).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 揎

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Etymology of 揎

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)扌
+
Phonetic (sound)宣
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 揎

  1. 1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half宣 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhand
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 揎? 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 揎?

Decomposition of 揎

IDS Structure⿰扌宣
揎Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
宣Xuan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 揎?

How to say to pull up one's sleeves; to prepare to fight in Chinese

“to pull up one's sleeves; to prepare to fight” in Chinese is揎xuān

The character 揎 (xuān) means to pull up one's sleeves, often indicating preparation for a task or a fight. It conveys a sense of readiness and can also imply a physical act of slapping or striking with the palm. This verb is typically used in contexts that involve taking action or gearing up for a challenge.

When to use 揎

Learners often confuse 揎 with other similar characters that involve hand actions. It's important to use this word in contexts related to preparation or action, rather than in passive situations. Common collocations include phrases about preparing for work or a confrontation.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 揎 in contexts where a more passive verb would be appropriate, as in 'I am ready' instead of 'I am preparing to act.' For example, saying '我揎好' instead of '我准备好了' (I am ready).

Write 揎

揎

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

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Word Family of 揎

Words Containing This Character1
揎xuānto slap with the palm
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 揎 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 揎

You can say, '他揎起袖子准备打架' (He rolled up his sleeves to prepare for a fight).

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