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携 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
xiéold variant of 攜v, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10865, Hard
xié>携[xié]v, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10865, Hard
xiéto carryv, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10865, Hard
xiéto take alongv, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10865, Hard
xiéto bring alongv, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10865, Hard
xiéto hold (hands)v, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10865, Hard
xiéalso pr. [xī]v, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10865, Hard
xiéto carry, to lead, to take by the handv, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10865, Hard
xiéold variant of 攜|携[xie2]unknown, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10865, Hard
xiéalso pr. [xi1]unknown, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10865, Hard
xié(xie2) T2
  1. 1old variant of 攜
  2. 2>携[xié]
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(㩗)xié(xie2)

The character 携 (xié) means 'to carry', 'to take along', or 'to hold hands'. It is often used to describe the action of bringing someone or something with you, emphasizing companionship and support. This character can also imply a sense of cooperation or unity when referring to people.

Strokes13RadicalFrequency#10865DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of holding hands signifies a close relationship, whether between family members, friends, or romantic partners. This gesture is often seen as a symbol of support and unity in social settings.

Memory Tip

Imagine a pair of hands (the radical 扌) gently carrying a friend in a warm embrace. The pronunciation 'xié' sounds like 'share', illustrating the idea of sharing a journey or experience together.

Meanings of 携

xié(xie2)
1to carry
2to take along
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 携

Simplified
Traditional
13Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#10865Frequency Rank

Podcast: 携

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AI Study Notes for 携

Quick Contrast

携 (xié) vs 带 (dài) — use 携 when emphasizing companionship or support, while 带 focuses on the act of bringing or carrying something.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a pair of hands (the radical 扌) gently carrying a friend in a warm embrace. The pronunciation 'xié' sounds like 'share', illustrating the idea of sharing a journey or experience together.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 携 (xié) with similar-sounding characters like 些 (xiē), which means 'some' or 'few'. This character is more commonly used in formal contexts, such as in written Chinese or in literature. Common collocations include 携手 (xié shǒu) meaning 'to hold hands'.

HSK Study Tips

While 携 is not included in the HSK levels, its usage aligns with words learned in HSK 3 and 4, which focus on everyday activities and relationships. Students should practice its pronunciation and recognize its connection to similar verbs involving movement and companionship.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of holding hands signifies a close relationship, whether between family members, friends, or romantic partners. This gesture is often seen as a symbol of support and unity in social settings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 携 (xié) with its informal counterpart 牵 (qiān), which also means 'to hold' but is more commonly used in everyday speech. For example, saying '我携手她' (Wǒ xié shǒu tā) is less common than '我牵着她的手' (Wǒ qiān zhe tā de shǒu).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 携

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Etymology of 携

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

hand

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 携?

Decomposition of 携

IDS Structure⿰扌隽
Full Character
=
shou3
left
Juan4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 携?

Write 携

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

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Grammar Patterns of 携

携 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 10 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

Complete the Sentence

警察以____带攻击性武器为由逮捕了我。

The police nicked me for carrying an offensive weapon.

Example Sentences for 携 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
警察以携带攻击性武器为由逮捕了我。

jǐng chá yǐ xié dài gōng jī xìng wǔ qì wéi yóu dài bǔ le wǒ。

The police nicked me for carrying an offensive weapon.
2
艾滋病病毒携带者的官方数字并不高。

ài zī bìng bìng dú xié dài zhě de guān fāng shù zì bìng bù gāo。

The official number of people carrying the AIDS virus is low.
3
在森林中徒步旅行时,即便带的是便携式摄像机也非常费力。

zài sēn lín zhōng tú bù lǚ háng shí, , jí biàn dài de shì biàn xié shì shè xiàng jī yě fēi cháng fèi。

Even carrying the camcorder while hiking in the forest was an effort.
4
如果带着闹钟让你感到心里踏实,那就值得携带。

rú guǒ dài zháo nào zhōng ràng nǐ gǎn dào xīn lǐ tà shí, , nà jiù zhí dé xié。

If an alarm gives you that feeling of security, then it'sworth carrying.
5
他老是记不起把自己阅读时用的放大镜放在什么地方,所以助手们会随身携带备用的。

tā lǎo shì jì bù qǐ bǎ zì jǐ yuè dú shí yòng de fàng dà jìng fàng zài shí mó dì fāng, , suǒ yǐ zhù shǒu mén huì suí shēn xié dài bèi yòng。

He misplaces his reading glasses with such regularity that aides carry extras.
6
柜台后面有一台开着的便携式小型电视机。

guì tái hòu miàn yǒu yī tái kāi zháo de biàn xié shì xiǎo xíng diàn shì jī。

There was a little portable television switched on behind the bar.
7
小屏幕的便携式电视机很值得买。

xiǎo píng mù de biàn xié shì diàn shì jī hěn zhí dé mǎi。

A small-screen portable TV can be a good investment.
8
它虽然小,但很重,不便携带。

tā suī rán xiǎo, , dàn hěn, zhòng , bù biàn。

It was small but heavy enough to make it awkward to carry.
9
你的便携式摄像机应该具备以下基本功能:自动聚焦、回放功能、变焦镜头。

nǐ de biàn xié shì shè xiàng jī yīng gāi jù bèi yǐ xià jī běn gōng néng: : zì dòng jù、 jiāo 、 huí fàng、 gōng néng 、 biàn。

Your camcorder should have these basic features: autofocus, playback facility, zoom lens.
10
这款便携式摄像机可以使录像带快速倒回或前进。

zhè kuǎn biàn xié shì shè xiàng jī kě yǐ shǐ lù xiàng dài kuài sù dǎo huí huò qián jìn。

The camcorder winds the tape back or forward at high speed.

Cultural Notes for 携

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the act of holding hands signifies a close relationship, whether between family members, friends, or romantic partners. This gesture is often seen as a symbol of support and unity in social settings.

Word Family of 携

Words Containing This Character10
携带xiédàito support (old)攜帶
xiéto carry
携手xiéshǒuhand in hand攜手
便携式portable便攜式
便携portable便攜
提携to guide提攜
携带者(medicine) carrier (of a recessive gene, virus etc)攜帶者
扶老携幼taking everyone along, young and old扶老攜幼
携手并肩hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder攜手並肩
携家带口tied down by family obligations攜家帶口
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 携带 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 携

Both characters have the same pronunciation and meaning, but 携 is the more modern form, while 攜 is an older variant that is less commonly used in contemporary Chinese.