Meanings of 纖
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About 纖
Podcast: 纖
Podcast: 纖
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AI Study Notes for 纖
纖 (xiān) vs 細 (xì) — use 纖 for a focus on delicacy or fineness, while 細 emphasizes thinness or minuteness.
Be careful not to confuse 纖 with similar-sounding characters like 仙 (xiān), which means 'immortal.' 纖 is more commonly used in literary or poetic contexts. Common collocations include 纖維 (xiānwéi - fiber) and 纖細 (xiānsì - slender).
Although 纖 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it is related to words at the HSK 4 level that discuss texture and quality, such as 細 (xì - fine). Focus on recognizing the character in reading contexts.
Learners often confuse 纖 (xiān) with 細 (xì), mistakenly using 細 when they mean delicate. For example, '這件衣服很細' should be '這件衣服很纖細' to convey 'This garment is very delicate.'
Pronunciation of 纖
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Etymology of 纖
Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 千 represents the sound. Simplified form of 纖.
silk
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 纖
Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 千 represents the sound. Simplified form of 纖.
- 1The meaning half糹 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half韱 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaysilk
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 纖? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 纖
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How to say fine, delicate; tiny, minute in Chinese
“fine, delicate; tiny, minute” in Chinese is纖
The character 纖 (xiān) refers to something that is fine, delicate, or minute in nature. It is often used to describe thin threads, small details, or subtle qualities in various contexts, such as fabrics, art, and even emotions.
When to use 纖
Be careful not to confuse 纖 with similar-sounding characters like 仙 (xiān), which means 'immortal.' 纖 is more commonly used in literary or poetic contexts. Common collocations include 纖維 (xiānwéi - fiber) and 纖細 (xiānsì - slender).
纖 or something close to it
纖 (xiān) vs 細 (xì) — use 纖 for a focus on delicacy or fineness, while 細 emphasizes thinness or minuteness.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 纖 (xiān) with 細 (xì), mistakenly using 細 when they mean delicate. For example, '這件衣服很細' should be '這件衣服很纖細' to convey 'This garment is very delicate.'
Write 纖
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Practice writing 纖 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 纖
Compound Meaning
What does 纤维 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 纖
The correct pronunciation is 'xiān' with a high level tone.
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