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賢 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
賢xiánvirtuous, worthy; good, ablex, 15 strokes, radical 貝, rank #77203, Very Hard
xián(xian2) T2
  1. 1virtuous, worthy; good, able
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March 24, 2026

賢xián(xian2)

The character 賢 (xián) refers to someone who is virtuous, worthy, or capable. It is often used to describe individuals with commendable qualities, particularly in moral or ethical contexts, and is commonly found in discussions of leadership, education, and personal character.

Strokes15Radical貝Frequency#77203DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Confucianism, the concept of 賢 is central, as it emphasizes the importance of moral integrity and virtuous leadership. This character often appears in teachings about the ideal ruler and moral behavior in society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wise sage sitting on a throne made of gold (the radical 賢 suggests wealth). The throne represents their worthiness and virtue, while the golden color reflects their high moral standing. The sound 'xián' can be remembered by associating it with the word 'excellence', as both suggest high quality.

Meanings of 賢

xián(xian2)
1virtuous, worthy; good, able
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 賢

賢Simplified
15Strokes
貝Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 賢

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Podcast: 賢

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AI Study Notes for 賢

Quick Contrast

賢 (virtuous) vs 能 (capable) — use 賢 when emphasizing moral qualities over mere ability.

Usage Notes

Be cautious when using 賢 in formal settings, as it can imply a strong judgment of someone's character. Common collocations include 賢者 (wise person) and 賢良 (virtuous and good). Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words that have different meanings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 賢 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with character traits studied at higher levels. Focus on its usage in literature and formal contexts, as it enriches your understanding of virtuous qualities in Chinese culture.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 賢 in casual contexts where simpler terms like 好 (hǎo) for 'good' would suffice. For example, saying '他很賢' (Tā hěn xián) instead of '他很好' (Tā hěn hǎo) can sound overly formal.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 賢

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Etymology of 賢

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

money

Semantic (meaning)貝
+
Phonetic (sound)臤
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 賢

  1. 1The meaning half貝 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half臤 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymoney
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 賢? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 賢?

Decomposition of 賢

IDS Structure⿱臤貝
賢Full Character
=
臤qian1
top
貝bei4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 賢?

How to say virtuous, worthy; good, able in Chinese

“virtuous, worthy; good, able” in Chinese is賢xián

The character 賢 (xián) refers to someone who is virtuous, worthy, or capable. It is often used to describe individuals with commendable qualities, particularly in moral or ethical contexts, and is commonly found in discussions of leadership, education, and personal character.

When to use 賢

Be cautious when using 賢 in formal settings, as it can imply a strong judgment of someone's character. Common collocations include 賢者 (wise person) and 賢良 (virtuous and good). Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words that have different meanings.

賢 or something close to it

賢 (virtuous) vs 能 (capable) — use 賢 when emphasizing moral qualities over mere ability.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 賢 in casual contexts where simpler terms like 好 (hǎo) for 'good' would suffice. For example, saying '他很賢' (Tā hěn xián) instead of '他很好' (Tā hěn hǎo) can sound overly formal.

Write 賢

賢

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

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Word Family of 賢

Words Containing This Character14
贤xiánworthy or virtuous person賢
贤惠xiánhuì(of a wife) wise and kind賢惠
圣贤shèngxiána sage聖賢
贤妻良母a good wife and loving mother賢妻良母
贤弟worthy little brother賢弟
贤人venerable forebear賢人
魏忠贤Wei Zhongxian (1568-1627), infamous eunuch politician of late Ming魏忠賢
贤良(of a man) able and virtuous賢良
贤达prominent and worthy personage賢達
贤淑(of a woman) virtuous賢淑
奉贤Fengxian suburban district of Shanghai奉賢
先贤worthy predecessor先賢
贤内助(said of sb else's wife) a good wife賢內助
贤明sagacious賢明
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 贤 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 賢

You can say, '他是一个非常賢的人' (Tā shì yīgè fēicháng xián de rén), meaning 'He is a very virtuous person.'

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