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March 24, 2026
宣Xuān(Xuan1)
The character 宣 (xuān) primarily means 'to declare' or 'to announce' and is often used in contexts where something is made known to the public. It can also serve as a surname. In formal settings, it is used to indicate the act of proclaiming information or intentions.
Strokes9Radical宀Frequency#16750DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, public announcements, especially during festivals or significant events, often utilize this character. For example, 宣 is used in phrases like 宣布 (xuānbù, to announce) in official communications.
Memory tip
Imagine a loudspeaker (which sounds like 'xuān') announcing important news to a crowd. The character features the radical for 'speech' (言), emphasizing its connection to communication and declaration.
Meanings of 宣
Xuān(Xuan1)
1to declare (publicly)
2to announce
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 宣
宣Simplified
9Strokes
宀Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#16750Frequency Rank
Podcast: 宣
Podcast: 宣
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AI study notes for 宣
Quick Contrast
宣 (xuān, declare) vs 述 (shù, narrate) — use 宣 when the focus is on making a public announcement, while 述 emphasizes recounting or describing events.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 宣 with similar-sounding characters like 选 (xuǎn, to choose). This word is typically used in formal contexts, so it's less common in casual conversations. When combined with other characters, it often appears in phrases related to announcements or declarations.
HSK Study Tips
Though 宣 is not part of the official HSK levels, it connects well with characters related to communication and formal language. Students should focus on its usage in conjunction with verbs like 'to tell' (告诉) or 'to say' (说) to enhance their understanding of announcements in Chinese.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 宣 with 选 (xuǎn), leading to incorrect usage. For instance, saying '我宣这个' (Wǒ xuān zhège) to mean 'I choose this' is incorrect; it should be '我选这个' (Wǒ xuǎn zhège).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 宣
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The character 宣 (xuān) primarily means 'to declare' or 'to announce' and is often used in contexts where something is made known to the public. It can also serve as a surname. In formal settings, it is used to indicate the act of proclaiming information or intentions.
When to use 宣
Be careful not to confuse 宣 with similar-sounding characters like 选 (xuǎn, to choose). This word is typically used in formal contexts, so it's less common in casual conversations. When combined with other characters, it often appears in phrases related to announcements or declarations.
宣 or something close to it
宣 (xuān, declare) vs 述 (shù, narrate) — use 宣 when the focus is on making a public announcement, while 述 emphasizes recounting or describing events.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 宣 with 选 (xuǎn), leading to incorrect usage. For instance, saying '我宣这个' (Wǒ xuān zhège) to mean 'I choose this' is incorrect; it should be '我选这个' (Wǒ xuǎn zhège).
Write 宣
宣
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Grammar patterns of 宣
宣 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
“我来要求归还我的房产，”她向接待人员____布。
"I've come to reclaim my property," she announced to the desk clerk.
Common confusions with 宣
宣vs选
xuǎn
Similar sound but different meanings
Exercise 1 of 1
Which one
Which one means “surname Xuan”?
or
Example sentences for 宣 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
“我来要求归还我的房产，”她向接待人员宣布。
“ wǒ lái yāoqiú guīhuán wǒ de fáng chǎn，” tā xiàng jiēdài rényuán xuānbù。
"I've come to reclaim my property," she announced to the desk clerk.
2
他宣称道：“我为自己的所作所为感到兴奋不已。”
tā xuānchēng dào：“ wǒ wèi zìjǐ de suǒzuòsuǒwéi gǎndào xīngfèn bùyǐ。”
"I'm absolutely thrilled to have done what I've done," he declared.
3
我们需要的不是善意但难以实现的宣言，而是实际行动。
wǒmen xūyào de bùshì shànyì dàn nányǐ shíxiàn de xuānyán， érshì shíjì xíngdòng。
What we need is not manifestos of pious intentions, but real action.
4
爱沙尼亚议会已经通过了宣布共和国完全独立的决议。
ài Shā ní yà yìhuì yǐjīng tōngguò le xuānbù gònghéguó wánquán dúlì de juéyì。
The Estonian parliament has passed a resolution declaring the republic fully independent.
5
一些公司已降低了宣传资料中标榜之词的调门。
yìxiē gōngsī yǐ jiàngdī le xuānchuán zīliào zhōng biāobǎng zhī cí de diào mén。
Some companies have toned down the claims on their promotional literature.
6
这是政客们宣扬过无数次的废话。
zhè shì zhèng kè men xuānyáng guò wúshù cì de fèihuà。
This is the claptrap that politicians have peddled many times before.
7
佩罗期待着新一轮的竞选宣传节目的播出。
pèi luō qīdài zhe xīn yī lún de jìngxuǎn xuānchuán jiémù de bōchū。
Perot hoped to run another series of campaign infomercials.
8
证据被当庭呆板地宣读了一遍。
zhèngjù bèi dāng tíng dāi bǎn dì xuāndú le yī biàn。
The evidence was read out to the court in a dull monotone.
9
英格兰队今晚为欧洲足球做了一次糟糕的宣传。
Yīng gé lán duì jīn wǎn wèi ōuzhōu zúqiú zuò le yī cì zāogāo de xuānchuán。
The England team were a poor advertisement for European football tonight.
10
今天他将正式宣布参加总统竞选。
jīntiān tā jiāng zhèngshì xuānbù cānjiā zǒngtǒng jìngxuǎn。
Today he is formally announcing his candidacy for President.
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Word Family of 宣
Compounds20
喧xuānclamor
暄xuāngenial and warm
渲xuànto render; to exaggerate, to embellish, to add layers of color
楦xuànshoe last; to stretch a shoe; to turn a lathe
萱xuānday-lily, Hemerocallis fulva
煊xuānwarm
愃xuān
揎xuānto pull up one's sleeves; to prepare to fight
瑄xuānornamental jade
箮xuān
鍹xuān
塇xuān
媗xuān
睻xuān
碹xuàn
縇xuān
翧xuān
蝖xuān
諠xuānnoisy, uproarious; to forget
鰚xuān
Words containing this character20
宣布xuānbùto declare
宣传xuānchuánto disseminate宣傳
宣称xuānchēngto assert宣稱
宣誓xuānshìto make a vow
宣言xuānyándeclaration
宣告xuāngàoto declare
宣判xuānpànto pronounce a sentence (after a verdict in a court of law)
宣读xuāndúto read out loud to an audience宣讀
宣扬xuānyángto proclaim宣揚
宣Xuānto announce
宣泄xuānxièto divulge宣洩
宣传部xuānchuánbùPropaganda Department宣傳部
宣战xuānzhànto declare war宣戰
宣讲xuānjiǎngto preach宣講
宣传册xuānchuáncèflyer宣傳冊
心照不宣xīnzhàobùxuāna tacit mutual understanding
中宣部zhōngxuānbùCentral Propaganda Section
宣传画xuānchuánhuàpropaganda poster宣傳畫
宣示xuānshìto vow
宣教xuānjiàoto preach a religion
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 宣
What does 喧 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 宣
Some synonyms for 宣 (xuān) include 发表 (fābiǎo), which means 'to publish' or 'to issue,' and 通告 (tōnggào), which means 'to notify' or 'to announce.' These words can often be used interchangeably depending on the context.
Yes, 宣 (xuān) is indeed a common surname in China. It is one of many surnames that can be found in Chinese-speaking communities, and like many Chinese surnames, it carries historical significance.
To use 宣 (xuān) in a sentence, you might say '他宣告了这个好消息' (Tā xuāngào le zhège hǎo xiāoxī), which means 'He announced the good news.' This character is often followed by the content of what is being announced.
宣 (xuān) means 'to announce' or 'to declare' in Chinese. It can be used in various contexts, including making public proclamations or announcements. Additionally, it is also a common surname in Chinese culture.
It is pronounced as 'xuān'.
No, it is generally used in more formal contexts, such as news announcements or official proclamations.
Common phrases include 宣布 (xuānbù, to announce) and 宣传 (xuānchuán, to promote).
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