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骞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
骞qiānto lift, to raise; to fly, to soarg, 13 strokes, radical 马
骞qiāndefectiveunknown, 13 strokes, radical 马
骞qiānraiseunknown, 13 strokes, radical 马
qiān(qian1) T1
  1. 1to lift, to raise; to fly, to soar
  2. 2defective
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

骞(騫)qiān(qian1)

The character 骞 (qiān) primarily means to lift or raise something, often conveying a sense of elevation or soaring. In certain contexts, it can refer to flying or something that is defective, indicating a sense of imperfection. This character is used less frequently in everyday conversation but can appear in literary or poetic contexts.

Strokes13Radical马
Cultural Note

In Chinese poetry, the theme of soaring or flying often symbolizes freedom and aspiration, reflecting the deep cultural appreciation for nature and the skies. The character 骞 is sometimes used in classical literature to evoke these sentiments.

Memory Tip

Imagine a majestic eagle (representing 'to soar') lifting a heavy stone (representing 'to raise') high into the sky. The character 骞 resembles a bird in flight, with its wings spread wide, soaring above the clouds.

Meanings of 骞

qiān(qian1)
1to lift, to raise; to fly, to soar
2defective
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 骞

骞Simplified
騫Traditional
13Strokes
马Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 骞

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Podcast: 骞

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AI Study Notes for 骞

Usage Notes

Be cautious when using 骞, as it is more formal and may not be appropriate for everyday conversation. Common collocations include 骞翅 (to spread wings) and 骞飞 (to fly high). Mispronouncing the tone can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 骞 is not included in the HSK levels, it shares common roots with other characters related to movement and elevation, like 飞 (to fly) and 升 (to rise). Focus on recognizing its form and understanding its usage in literary texts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 骞 with similar characters like 迁 (to move) due to similar pronunciation. Remember that 骞 focuses on elevation and soaring, while 迁 relates to migration or relocation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 骞

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Etymology of 骞

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

A soldier 宀 mounting a horse 马

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 骞

  1. 1The giveawayA soldier 宀 mounting a horse 马
  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 骞? 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 骞?

Decomposition of 骞

IDS Structure⿳宀？马
骞Full Character
=
宀gai4
top
马Ma3
middle
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 骞?

How to say to lift, to raise; to fly, to soar in Chinese

“to lift, to raise; to fly, to soar” in Chinese is骞qiān

The character 骞 (qiān) primarily means to lift or raise something, often conveying a sense of elevation or soaring. In certain contexts, it can refer to flying or something that is defective, indicating a sense of imperfection. This character is used less frequently in everyday conversation but can appear in literary or poetic contexts.

When to use 骞

Be cautious when using 骞, as it is more formal and may not be appropriate for everyday conversation. Common collocations include 骞翅 (to spread wings) and 骞飞 (to fly high). Mispronouncing the tone can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 骞 with similar characters like 迁 (to move) due to similar pronunciation. Remember that 骞 focuses on elevation and soaring, while 迁 relates to migration or relocation.

Write 骞

骞

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 骞

Words Containing This Character2
骞qiānraise騫
张骞Zhang Qian (-114 BC), Han dynasty explorer of 2nd century BC張騫
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 骞 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 骞

The correct pronunciation is qiān, with a high flat tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 骞?

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