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绚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
绚xuànvariegated, adorned; brilliantzg, 9 strokes, radical 纟, rank #52156, Very Hard
绚xuànswiftunknown, 9 strokes, radical 纟, rank #52156, Very Hard
绚xuàngorgeousunknown, 9 strokes, radical 纟, rank #52156, Very Hard
xuàn(xuan4)xuan T4
  1. 1variegated, adorned; brilliant
  2. 2swift
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March 24, 2026

绚(絢)xuàn(xuan4)

The character 绚 (xuàn) describes something that is adorned or decorated with a variety of colors, often conveying beauty or brilliance. It can be used to describe vibrant scenery, fashion, or artistic expressions, emphasizing visual splendor and richness. This term often appears in contexts related to aesthetics and artistry.

Strokes9Radical纟Frequency#52156DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'brilliance' is often associated with festivals and celebrations, where vibrant decorations play a crucial role. The character 绚 can evoke images of traditional Chinese New Year celebrations, where colorful lanterns and decorations symbolize joy and prosperity.

Memory tip

Imagine a stunning sunset (representing 'brilliant') with vibrant colors (representing 'variegated') painting the sky. The character 绚 has '丝' (silk) at the bottom, suggesting softness and beauty, while the top part reminds you of the colorful patterns in a rich tapestry, making it easier to remember the sound 'xuàn' and its meaning.

Meanings of 绚

xuàn(xuan4)
1variegated, adorned; brilliant
2swift
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 绚 means.

About 绚

绚Simplified
絢Traditional
9Strokes
纟Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 绚

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Podcast: 绚

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AI Study Notes for 绚

Quick Contrast

绚 (xuàn) vs 鲜 (xiān) — use 绚 for visual splendor and richness, while 鲜 emphasizes freshness and vividness.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone, as 绚 (xuàn) is pronounced with a falling tone, which is crucial for clarity. This word is often used in formal contexts, such as literature or art critiques, rather than in casual conversation. Common collocations include 绚丽 (xuànlì, brilliant) and 绚烂 (xuànlàn, resplendent).

HSK Study Tips

Although 绚 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other HSK words related to beauty and color, such as 美 (měi, beautiful) and 彩色 (cǎisè, colorful). Students should focus on the visual aspects and emotional connotations of the word to enhance their vocabulary related to aesthetics.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 绚 with similar-sounding words like 玄 (xuán, mysterious) due to the tonal difference. A common mistake is using it in casual contexts where simpler words like 美丽 (měilì, beautiful) would suffice.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 绚

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Etymology of 绚

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

Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 旬 represents the sound. Simplified form of 絢.

Memory hint

silk

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

Origin

绚 = 纟 + 旬. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 绚

IDS Structure⿰纟旬
绚Full character
=
纟si1
left
旬xun2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 绚?

How to say variegated, adorned; brilliant in Chinese

“variegated, adorned; brilliant” in Chinese is绚xuàn

The character 绚 (xuàn) describes something that is adorned or decorated with a variety of colors, often conveying beauty or brilliance. It can be used to describe vibrant scenery, fashion, or artistic expressions, emphasizing visual splendor and richness. This term often appears in contexts related to aesthetics and artistry.

When to use 绚

Be cautious with the tone, as 绚 (xuàn) is pronounced with a falling tone, which is crucial for clarity. This word is often used in formal contexts, such as literature or art critiques, rather than in casual conversation. Common collocations include 绚丽 (xuànlì, brilliant) and 绚烂 (xuànlàn, resplendent).

绚 or something close to it

绚 (xuàn) vs 鲜 (xiān) — use 绚 for visual splendor and richness, while 鲜 emphasizes freshness and vividness.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 绚 with similar-sounding words like 玄 (xuán, mysterious) due to the tonal difference. A common mistake is using it in casual contexts where simpler words like 美丽 (měilì, beautiful) would suffice.

Write 绚

绚

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

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Grammar Patterns of 绚

绚 carries 3 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

尤其是在四五月份，不计其数的野花盛开，山谷里一片____烂色彩。

Millions of wild flowers colour the valleys, especially in April and May.

Example Sentences for 绚 (5)

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1
尤其是在四五月份，不计其数的野花盛开，山谷里一片绚烂色彩。

yóuqí shì zài sì wǔ yuèfèn， bù jì qí shù de yě huā shèngkāi， shāngǔ lǐ yī piàn xuàn làn sècǎi。

Millions of wild flowers colour the valleys, especially in April and May.
2
一英亩见方的花园生长出一大片绚烂的杜鹃花.

yī Yīng mǔ jiàn fāng de huāyuán shēngzhǎng chū yī dàpiàn xuàn làn de dù juān huā.

The acre of garden is host to a splendid bank of rhododendrons.
3
夏秋之季, 碧草连天, 繁花铺地, 风景如画, 绚丽迷人.

xià Qiū zhī jì, bì cǎo lián tiān, fán huā pū dì, fēngjǐng rú huà, xuàn lí mírén.

The summer and fall season, suffering Bicao, flowers shops, picturesque, charming brilliant.
4
一周后蝴蝶破茧而出,绚丽夺目.

yī zhōu hòu húdié pò jiǎn ér chū, xuàn lí duó mù.

A butterfly emerged in its full splendour a week later.
5
戴维斯深深喜欢上了那幅色彩绚丽的油画作品。

dài wéi Sī shēnshēn xǐhuan shàng le nà fú sècǎi xuàn lí de yóuhuà zuòpǐn。

Davies goes into raptures over the brilliantly coloured paintwork.

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Word Family of 绚

Words containing this character4
绚丽gorgeous絢麗
绚烂splendid絢爛
绚xuànadorned絢
绚丽多彩gorgeous絢麗多彩
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 绚

What does 绚丽 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 绚

It is pronounced with a falling tone: xuàn.

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