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March 24, 2026
憲xiàn(xian4)
The character 憲 (xiàn) refers to laws or statutes, specifically those that form the foundation of a legal system, such as a constitution. It is commonly used in formal contexts, particularly in discussions related to governance, legal frameworks, and civil rights.
Strokes16Radical心Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of law is heavily influenced by Confucian ideals, which emphasize morality and ethics. The constitution (憲法) plays a crucial role in modern governance, reflecting the balance between tradition and modernity in Chinese society.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'law' (憲) being 'seen' (见) on a scroll. The left side, with the heart (心), symbolizes the moral essence behind laws, while the right side hints at 'seeing' the laws clearly in society. Together, they remind you that laws should reflect the heart of the people.
Meanings of 憲
xiàn(xian4)
1constitution, statute, law
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About 憲
憲Simplified
16Strokes
心Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 憲
Podcast: 憲
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AI Study Notes for 憲
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a 'law' (憲) being 'seen' (见) on a scroll. The left side, with the heart (心), symbolizes the moral essence behind laws, while the right side hints at 'seeing' the laws clearly in society. Together, they remind you that laws should reflect the heart of the people.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 憲 (law) with related terms like 法 (fǎ), which means 'law' in a broader sense. This character is more formal and often appears in legal documents or scholarly discussions. Common collocations include 憲法 (xiànfǎ), meaning 'constitution'.
HSK Study Tips
While 憲 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it shares roots with other legal terms. Students should focus on recognizing its use in formal contexts and understanding its relation to words like 法律 (fǎlǜ) for 'law' and 制度 (zhìdù) for 'system'.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of law is heavily influenced by Confucian ideals, which emphasize morality and ethics. The constitution (憲法) plays a crucial role in modern governance, reflecting the balance between tradition and modernity in Chinese society.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 憲 with other characters like 现 (xiàn), which means 'present'. A common mistake is using 憲 in informal contexts, where 法 (fǎ) would be more appropriate.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 憲
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Cultural Notes for 憲
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of law is heavily influenced by Confucian ideals, which emphasize morality and ethics. The constitution (憲法) plays a crucial role in modern governance, reflecting the balance between tradition and modernity in Chinese society.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
The understanding of law as a formal document, like a constitution, is similar in many Western countries, but the emphasis on moral underpinnings in Chinese law may differ from the more procedural focus often seen in Western legal systems.
Word Family of 憲
Words Containing This Character13
宪法xiànfǎconstitution (of a country)憲法
宪章charter憲章
宪兵military police憲兵
宪xiànstatute憲
违宪unconstitutional違憲
宪政constitutional government憲政
修宪to amend the constitution修憲
宪兵队the Kempeitai or Japanese Military Police 1881-1945 (Japanese counterpart of the Gestapo during WWII)憲兵隊
立宪to set up a constitution立憲
黄遵宪Huang Zunxian (1848-1905), Qing dynasty poet and diplomat, author of A Record of Japan 日本國誌|日本国志[RìběnGuózhì], an extended analysis of Meiji Japan黃遵憲
君主立宪制constitutional monarchy君主立憲制
唐宪宗Emperor Xianzong of Tang (778-820), reign name of twelfth Tang emperor Li Chun 李純|李纯[LǐChún] reigned 805-820唐憲宗
五权宪法Sun Yat-sen's Five-power constitution of Republic of China, then of Taiwan五權憲法
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 宪法 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 憲
憲 specifically refers to constitutional law or statutes, whereas 法 is a more general term for law.
憲 is typically used in formal, legal, or academic settings when discussing laws or regulations.