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餡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
餡xiànfilling, stuffing; secretx, 16 strokes, radical 飠
xiàn(xian4)xian T4
  1. 1filling, stuffing; secret
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March 24, 2026

餡xiàn(xian4)

The character 餡 (xiàn) primarily means 'filling' or 'stuffing,' commonly used in the context of food, such as dumplings or pastries. It can also refer to a secret or hidden aspect of something, emphasizing the idea of being concealed within a larger context.

Strokes16Radical飠
Cultural note

In Chinese cuisine, various dumplings (like jiaozi) are traditionally filled with a mix of meat and vegetables, symbolizing prosperity during celebrations like the Lunar New Year. The filling represents abundance and is a vital part of festive meals.

Memory tip

Imagine a delicious dumpling (饺子) filled with a surprise (the secret filling). The character 餡 has the '食' (food) radical at the bottom, reminding you that it’s related to something edible, while the '干' (dry) component at the top suggests the idea of something wrapped around a secret within.

Meanings of 餡

xiàn(xian4)
1filling, stuffing; secret
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 餡

餡Simplified
16Strokes
飠Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 餡

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Podcast: 餡

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AI study notes for 餡

Quick Contrast

餡 (filling) vs 料 (ingredient) — use 餡 when specifically referring to the filling inside food, while 料 refers to the broader category of ingredients used in cooking.

Usage Notes

While 餡 is often used informally in culinary contexts, it can also appear in literary or metaphorical discussions about secrets. Be careful with pronunciation, as tone can change meaning; ensuring you use the correct fourth tone is essential.

HSK Study Tips

Although 餡 is not included in the HSK levels, it can be connected to food vocabulary that students encounter at HSK 2 and 3. Focus on recognizing it in menus or recipes, as well as practicing sentences that involve food preparation.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 餡 with the character '馅' (xiàn), which has the same meaning but is more commonly used in everyday contexts. For example, saying '我喜欢饺子的餡' (Wǒ xǐhuān jiǎozi de xiàn) is incorrect; use '馅' instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 餡

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Etymology of 餡

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

Food 飠 stuffed in a hole 臽; 臽 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 餡?

Decomposition of 餡

IDS Structure⿰飠臽
餡Full character
=
飠shi2
left
臽xian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 餡?

How to say filling, stuffing; secret in Chinese

“filling, stuffing; secret” in Chinese is餡xiàn

The character 餡 (xiàn) primarily means 'filling' or 'stuffing,' commonly used in the context of food, such as dumplings or pastries. It can also refer to a secret or hidden aspect of something, emphasizing the idea of being concealed within a larger context.

When to use 餡

While 餡 is often used informally in culinary contexts, it can also appear in literary or metaphorical discussions about secrets. Be careful with pronunciation, as tone can change meaning; ensuring you use the correct fourth tone is essential.

餡 or something close to it

餡 (filling) vs 料 (ingredient) — use 餡 when specifically referring to the filling inside food, while 料 refers to the broader category of ingredients used in cooking.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 餡 with the character '馅' (xiàn), which has the same meaning but is more commonly used in everyday contexts. For example, saying '我喜欢饺子的餡' (Wǒ xǐhuān jiǎozi de xiàn) is incorrect; use '馅' instead.

Write 餡

餡

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

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Word Family of 餡

Words containing this character8
馅饼pie餡餅
馅xiànstuffing餡
肉馅ground meat肉餡
露馅to leak露餡
馅儿xiànrstuffing餡兒
馅儿饼pie餡兒餅
露馅儿to leak露餡兒
夹馅with filling夾餡
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 餡

What does 馅饼 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 餡

You can say '这个饺子里面有肉馅' (Zhège jiǎozi lǐmiàn yǒu ròu xiàn), meaning 'This dumpling has meat filling.'

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