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March 24, 2026
荐(薦)jiàn(jian4)
The character 荐 (jiàn) primarily means 'to recommend' or 'to suggest.' It is often used in contexts where one is giving advice or proposing options to others. Additionally, it can relate to offering sacrifices in an archaic sense, showcasing its historical depth.
Strokes9Radical艹Frequency#51041DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, recommending someone (especially in a professional context) carries significant weight, as it reflects trust and respect. This character may appear in contexts discussing mentorship or guidance.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person holding out a green mat made from grass (the radical '艹' suggests plants), inviting someone to sit and listen to their recommendations. The sound 'jiàn' can be remembered as 'gentle invitation,' which aligns with the act of recommending something.
Meanings of 荐
jiàn(jian4)
1to recommend
2to offer sacrifice (arch.)
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 荐
荐Simplified
薦Traditional
9Strokes
艹Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#51041Frequency Rank
Podcast: 荐
Podcast: 荐
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AI Study Notes for 荐
Quick Contrast
推荐 (tuījiàn) vs 建议 (jiànyì) — use 荐 (jiàn) for formal or literary recommendations, while 推荐 (tuījiàn) is more common in everyday contexts and 建议 (jiànyì) leans towards giving advice.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 荐 with other similar-sounding characters. It's important to use it in contexts where recommendations are appropriate, avoiding informal contexts where more casual language might be expected. Common collocations include 荐书 (to recommend a book) and 荐言 (to give advice).
HSK Study Tips
While 荐 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects to related words like 推荐 (tuījiàn), which also means 'to recommend.' Students should focus on recognizing similar characters and their nuances in meaning as they progress.
Common Mistakes
Learners might mistakenly use 荐 in informal conversations where 推荐 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我推荐一个电影' is correct, but using 荐 here sounds overly formal.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 荐
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How Well Do You Know 荐?
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Learning Lab
Knowing 荐 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 存 represents the sound. Simplified form of 薦. Based on the original meaning "straw mat". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
Memory Hint
A perennial; grass 艹 that survives 存 year-after-year
The character 荐 (jiàn) primarily means 'to recommend' or 'to suggest.' It is often used in contexts where one is giving advice or proposing options to others. Additionally, it can relate to offering sacrifices in an archaic sense, showcasing its historical depth.
When to use 荐
Learners often confuse 荐 with other similar-sounding characters. It's important to use it in contexts where recommendations are appropriate, avoiding informal contexts where more casual language might be expected. Common collocations include 荐书 (to recommend a book) and 荐言 (to give advice).
荐 or something close to it
推荐 (tuījiàn) vs 建议 (jiànyì) — use 荐 (jiàn) for formal or literary recommendations, while 推荐 (tuījiàn) is more common in everyday contexts and 建议 (jiànyì) leans towards giving advice.
What learners get wrong
Learners might mistakenly use 荐 in informal conversations where 推荐 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我推荐一个电影' is correct, but using 荐 here sounds overly formal.
Write 荐
荐
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Grammar Patterns of 荐
荐 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 5 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.
I've just seen a play that I can highly recommend.
10
在奥利里的推荐下，他们首先点了意大利饺子。
zài ào lì lǐ de tuī jiàn xià， ， tā mén shǒu xiān diǎn le yì dà lì jiǎo。
On O'Leary's recommendation, they started with tortellini.
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Word Family of 荐
Compounds1
鞯jian1saddle blanket
Words Containing This Character10
推荐tuījiànto recommend推薦
推荐信recommendation letter推薦信
引荐to recommend sb引薦
自荐to recommend oneself (for a job)自薦
荐jiàngrass薦
举荐to recommend舉薦
毛遂自荐Mao Sui recommends himself (idiom); to offer one's services (in the style of Mao Sui offering his services to king of Chu 楚 of the Warring states)毛遂自薦
荐举to nominate薦舉
荐引to introduce薦引
饥馑荐臻famine repeats unceasingly (idiom, from Book of Songs)饑饉薦臻
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 荐
What does 鞯 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 荐
You can say '我荐这本书给你,' which means 'I recommend this book to you.'
荐 is more formal and suitable for written language or professional contexts.
荐 is more archaic and less commonly used than 推荐, which is the standard term for 'to recommend' in modern Chinese.
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