HSK 5, zg, 7 strokes, radical 厶, rank #6036, Medium
县
xiàn
county, district, subdivision
HSK 5, zg, 7 strokes, radical 厶, rank #6036, Medium
xiàn(xian4) T4
1county
2county, district, subdivision
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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#6036DifficultyMedium
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
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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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
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AI Study Notes for 县
Quick Contrast
区 (qū) — use 县 for administrative divisions that are larger than districts.
Memory Mnemonic
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.
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.
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.
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
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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.
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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
Complete the Sentence
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)
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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.
Mancheng specialty snow peach, only produced in Mancheng County, Ridge Nishimura.
9
麦县的人从来不这么谈话, 不谈这些事.
mài xiàn de rén cóng lái bù zhè mó tán huà, , bù tán zhè xiē.
People in Madison County didn't talk this way, about these things.
10
自治州分为县 、 自治县 、 市.
zì zhì zhōu fēn wéi xiàn、 、 zì zhì、 xiàn.
Autonomous prefectures are divided into counties, autonomous counties, and cities.
Cultural Notes for 县
🏮Cultural insight
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.
Word Family of 县
Compounds4
悬xuan2to hang or suspend
肆si4four (banker's anti-fraud numeral)
髟biao1long hair
瓺
Words Containing This Character20
县xiàncounty縣
县政府county administration縣政府
县城county seat縣城
县委CPC county committee縣委
县级county level縣級
县长county's head commissioner縣長
叶县Ye county in Pingdingshan 平頂山|平顶山[Píngdǐngshān], Henan葉縣
知县county head magistrate (old)知縣
市县towns and counties市縣
林县Lin county in Henan林縣
沙县Sha county in Sanming 三明[Sānmíng], Fujian沙縣
静冈县Shizuoka prefecture southwest of Tokyo, Japan靜岡縣
冲绳县Okinawa prefecture, Japan沖繩縣
万县Wanxian port city on the Changjiang or Yangtze river in Sichuan, renamed Wanzhou district in Chongqing municipality in 1990萬縣
华县Hua county in Shaanxi華縣
秋田县Akita prefecture, northeast Japan秋田縣
和县He county in Chaohu 巢湖[Cháohú], Anhui和縣
县令county magistrate (during Tang to Qing times)縣令
开县Kai county in Wanzhou suburbs of north Chongqing municipality, formerly in Sichuan開縣
同安县former Tong'an county, now Tong'an district 同安區|同安区[Tóng'ānqū] of Xiamen city, Fujian同安縣
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 悬 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 县
县 means 'county' and refers to an administrative division in China.
You can use 县 to describe locations, such as in '某某县' (Mǒu mǒu xiàn) meaning 'a certain county'.
Yes, 县 can be used in both formal and informal discussions when talking about geographical or administrative matters.
