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県 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
県xiàncounty, district, subdivisionx, 9 strokes, radical 目
県xiànJapanese variant of 縣|县unknown, 9 strokes, radical 目
県xiànJapanese prefectureunknown, 9 strokes, radical 目
xiàn(xian4)xian T4
  1. 1county, district, subdivision
  2. 2Japanese variant of 縣|县
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March 24, 2026

県xiàn(xian4)

The character 県 (xiàn) refers to a county or district, often used in administrative contexts to denote a subdivision within a province. In addition to its use in Chinese, it has a variant in Japanese, where it signifies a prefecture, indicating its broader administrative significance in East Asian governance.

Strokes9Radical目
Cultural note

In China, counties are significant administrative divisions that reflect the country's historical governance structure. Understanding the concept of a county aids in grasping the organization of local government and community services in Chinese society.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'county' as a small 'kennel' where dogs (representing residents) are kept. The 'kennel' helps you remember the pronunciation 'xiàn' and the idea of a subdivision. The character's components can be visualized as a 'roof' over 'fields,' suggesting a rural area governed as a subdivision.

Meanings of 県

xiàn(xian4)
1county, district, subdivision
2Japanese variant of 縣|县
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 県

県Simplified
9Strokes
目Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 県

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Podcast: 県

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AI study notes for 県

Usage Notes

In Chinese, 県 is less commonly used than its simplified form, 县 (xiàn), which is more prevalent in modern contexts. Be cautious with pronunciation, as misplacing tones can change meanings, and ensure you know the context where this character is appropriate, especially in formal administrative discussions.

HSK Study Tips

Though 県 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it is beneficial for learners to recognize it in the context of administrative terms. Students should focus on related characters like 县 and understand their usage in governmental or geographic discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 県 with 县, using it incorrectly in modern contexts. For example, saying '我住在一个县' (wǒ zhù zài yī gè 県) should correctly use 县: '我住在一个县'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 県

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Etymology of 県

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

head

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

Origin

県 = 目 + 小. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 県

IDS Structure⿱⿺目?小
県Full character
=
目mu4
enclosing
小xiao3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 県?

How to say county, district, subdivision in Chinese

“county, district, subdivision” in Chinese is県xiàn

The character 県 (xiàn) refers to a county or district, often used in administrative contexts to denote a subdivision within a province. In addition to its use in Chinese, it has a variant in Japanese, where it signifies a prefecture, indicating its broader administrative significance in East Asian governance.

When to use 県

In Chinese, 県 is less commonly used than its simplified form, 县 (xiàn), which is more prevalent in modern contexts. Be cautious with pronunciation, as misplacing tones can change meanings, and ensure you know the context where this character is appropriate, especially in formal administrative discussions.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 県 with 县, using it incorrectly in modern contexts. For example, saying '我住在一个县' (wǒ zhù zài yī gè 県) should correctly use 县: '我住在一个县'.

Write 県

県

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

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Cultural Notes for 県

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western countries, the term 'county' typically refers to a similar administrative division, but the scope and governance structures can vary greatly compared to the more centralized system in China.

Word Family of 県

Words containing this character1
県xiànJapanese prefecture

Frequently asked questions about 県

No, 県 is more commonly associated with Japanese. In modern Chinese, the simplified form 县 is used.

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