Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
县(縣)xiàn(xian4)
The character 县 (xiàn) refers to a county or a district in administrative terms, commonly used when discussing the divisions of a province or city in China. It is often seen in governmental contexts, geographical discussions, and local administration.
Strokes7Radical厶Frequency#6036DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In China, the county system is a significant part of local governance, with deep historical roots in the imperial administrative structure. Many cultural festivals and local governance issues are tied to the identity of counties.
Memory Tip
Imagine a small town square surrounded by a fence (县 looks like a fence with a roof), representing a county where local governance happens. The pronunciation 'xiàn' can be remembered by thinking of 'cents' you save in your county's bank.
Meanings of 县
xiàn(xian4)
1county
2county, district, subdivision
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 县 means.
About 县
县Simplified
縣Traditional
7Strokes
厶Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#6036Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 县
Podcast: 县
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 县
Quick Contrast
区 (qū) — use 县 for administrative divisions that are larger than districts.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 县 with 市 (shì), which means 'city.' 县 is typically used in more rural contexts. It is often paired with other terms like 乡 (xiāng) for town or 镇 (zhèn) for town, so understanding these collocations can help convey more precise meanings.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 5 word, 县 is a useful term to know when discussing administrative divisions in China. Students should focus on its usage in the context of local governance and geography, as well as its collocations to build vocabulary around administrative topics.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 县 with 市 (shì) and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我住在这个市' (Wǒ zhù zài zhège shì) when referring to a county instead of '县' is incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 县
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 县 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 县 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
How Well Do You Know 县?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 县 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.
Simplified form of 縣. Pictograph of a severed head (首) hanging on a rope (系) from a tree (木). Based on the original meaning "hang" or "suspend". The current meaning is a phonetic loan. The traditional component 系 was removed for simplification.
The character 县 (xiàn) refers to a county or a district in administrative terms, commonly used when discussing the divisions of a province or city in China. It is often seen in governmental contexts, geographical discussions, and local administration.
When to use 县
Be careful not to confuse 县 with 市 (shì), which means 'city.' 县 is typically used in more rural contexts. It is often paired with other terms like 乡 (xiāng) for town or 镇 (zhèn) for town, so understanding these collocations can help convey more precise meanings.
县 or something close to it
区 (qū) — use 县 for administrative divisions that are larger than districts.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 县 with 市 (shì) and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我住在这个市' (Wǒ zhù zài zhège shì) when referring to a county instead of '县' is incorrect.
Write 县
县
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 县 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 县
县 carries 2 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.
他可能是这个____里最遭人憎恨的人.
He's probably the most hated man in this county.
Example Sentences for 县 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他可能是这个县里最遭人憎恨的人.
tā kě néng shì zhè gè xiàn lǐ zuì zāo rén zēng hèn de rén.
