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娴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
娴xiánelegant, refined, skillfulzg, 10 strokes, radical 女, rank #49622, Very Hard
娴xiánto be skilled atunknown, 10 strokes, radical 女, rank #49622, Very Hard
xián(xian2) T2
  1. 1elegant, refined, skillful
  2. 2to be skilled at
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March 24, 2026

娴(嫺)xián(xian2)

The character 娴 (xián) conveys the meaning of being elegant, refined, and skillful, often used to describe a person, especially a woman, who possesses grace and competence in her actions. It is commonly used in contexts emphasizing social poise and capability, such as in descriptions of behavior, manners, or skills.

Strokes10Radical女Frequency#49622DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being described as 娴 indicates not only personal qualities but also social expectations for women to exhibit grace and competence in various roles, reflecting traditional values of femininity and social behavior.

Memory Tip

Imagine a graceful woman (the character represents femininity) elegantly playing a musical instrument, embodying both refinement and skill. The radical 女 (nǚ) signifies 'female,' which helps connect the character to its nuanced meaning of elegance and expertise.

Meanings of 娴

xián(xian2)
1elegant, refined, skillful
2to be skilled at
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 娴

娴Simplified
嫺Traditional
10Strokes
女Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 娴

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Podcast: 娴

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 娴

Quick Contrast

娴 (xián) vs 精 (jīng) — use 娴 when emphasizing elegance and social grace, while 精 focuses on skillfulness and expertise.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a graceful woman (the character represents femininity) elegantly playing a musical instrument, embodying both refinement and skill. The radical 女 (nǚ) signifies 'female,' which helps connect the character to its nuanced meaning of elegance and expertise.

Usage Notes

When using 娴, it's often found in formal contexts, such as literature or when complimenting someone's demeanor. A common mistake is to confuse 娴 with similar-sounding characters that imply different qualities; be mindful of the tone and context. Collocations include 娴雅 (xián yǎ) meaning 'elegant' and 娴熟 (xián shú) meaning 'skilled.'

HSK Study Tips

While 娴 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your comprehension of more advanced texts where it may appear. Focus on recognizing its connections to characters like 熟 (shú,熟练) meaning 'skilled' and 雅 (yǎ,雅致) meaning 'elegant.'

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being described as 娴 indicates not only personal qualities but also social expectations for women to exhibit grace and competence in various roles, reflecting traditional values of femininity and social behavior.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 娴 with 嫻 (xián), which has similar meanings but is less commonly used. Make sure to use 娴 when referring to elegance and skill, as in 娴雅 (xián yǎ) for 'elegant.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 娴

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Etymology of 娴

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

woman

Semantic (meaning)女
+
Phonetic (sound)闲
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 娴?

Decomposition of 娴

IDS Structure⿰女闲
娴Full Character
=
女nü3
left
闲xian2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 娴?

Write 娴

娴

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

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Grammar Patterns of 娴

娴 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 5

Complete the Sentence

这部歌剧不及他晚期作品____熟。

The opera lacks the polish of his later work.

Example Sentences for 娴 (5)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这部歌剧不及他晚期作品娴熟。

zhè bù gē jù bù jí tā wǎn qī zuò pǐn xián shú。

The opera lacks the polish of his later work.
2
导演在镜头运用上既富有美感又渲染了气氛，戏剧手法的运用也娴熟自如。

dǎo yǎn zài jìng tóu yùn yòng shàng jì fù yǒu měi gǎn yòu xuàn rǎn le qì fēn， ， xì jù shǒu fǎ de yùn yòng yě xián shú zì。

The director employs sensuous, atmospheric camerawork and deft dramatic touches.
3
计算机与电子行业属于蓬勃发展的产业，需要娴熟的技术人员。

jì suàn jī yǔ diàn zǐ háng yè shǔ yú péng bó fā zhǎn de chǎn yè， ， xū yào xián shú de jì shù rén。

Computers and electronics are growth industries and need skilled technicians.
4
美甲师修锉指甲的手艺娴熟。

měi jiǎ shī xiū cuò zhǐ jiǎ de shǒu yì xián shú。

Manicurists are skilled at shaping and filing nails.
5
我哥哥是个技术娴熟的桨手。

wǒ gē gē shì gè jì shù xián shú de jiǎng shǒu。

My old brother is a skilful paddler.

Cultural Notes for 娴

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, being described as 娴 indicates not only personal qualities but also social expectations for women to exhibit grace and competence in various roles, reflecting traditional values of femininity and social behavior.

Word Family of 娴

Words Containing This Character5
娴熟adept嫻熟
娴xiánelegant嫻
娴静gentle and refined嫻靜
娴雅refined嫻雅
娴淑ladylike嫻淑
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 娴熟 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 娴

The correct pronunciation is 'xián' with the second tone, which rises. Practice saying it in context to get the tone right.