Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
衔 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
衔
xián
bit (of a bridle)
HSK 7, v, 11 strokes, radical 彳, rank #22224, Very Hard
衔
xián
to hold in the mouth
HSK 7, v, 11 strokes, radical 彳, rank #22224, Very Hard
衔
xián
to harbor (feelings)
HSK 7, v, 11 strokes, radical 彳, rank #22224, Very Hard
衔
xián
to link
HSK 7, v, 11 strokes, radical 彳, rank #22224, Very Hard
衔
xián
to accept
HSK 7, v, 11 strokes, radical 彳, rank #22224, Very Hard
衔
xián
rank
HSK 7, v, 11 strokes, radical 彳, rank #22224, Very Hard
衔
xián
title
HSK 7, v, 11 strokes, radical 彳, rank #22224, Very Hard
衔
xián
rank, title; to bite, to hold in the mouth
HSK 7, v, 11 strokes, radical 彳, rank #22224, Very Hard
xián(xian2)xian T2
1bit (of a bridle)
2to hold in the mouth
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
衔(啣)xián(xian2)
The character 衔 (xián) primarily means 'to hold in the mouth' or 'to link.' It is often used in contexts involving carrying something, such as a horse's bit, or metaphorically to describe harboring feelings or titles. The term conveys a sense of connection or acceptance, making it versatile in both literal and figurative language.
Strokes11Radical彳Frequency#22224DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of rank and title is significant, especially in traditional contexts such as family lineage and social status. The use of 衔 reflects the importance of one's position in society, often tied to respect and heritage.
Memory tip
Imagine a horse with a bit in its mouth, holding onto it tightly, representing the character 衔 (xián). The left part of the character, 衤, suggests clothing or covering, while the right part, 嚼, resembles a mouth holding something. Picture the horse linking its feelings to its rider as they work together.
Meanings of 衔
xián(xian2)
1bit (of a bridle)
2to hold in the mouth
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 衔 means.
About 衔
衔Simplified
啣Traditional
11Strokes
彳Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#22224Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7
Podcast: 衔
Podcast: 衔
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 衔
Quick Contrast
衔 (xián) vs 承 (chéng) — use 衔 for holding in the mouth or linking, while 承 is used for accepting or undertaking responsibilities.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 衔 (xián) with similar-sounding characters like 咸 (xián), which means 'salty.' This character is more formal and often appears in written language. Common collocations include 衔接 (xiánjiē, to link or connect) and 衔位 (xiánwèi, rank or title).
HSK Study Tips
Although 衔 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be connected to HSK Level 4 words that deal with relationships and connections, such as 连接 (liánjiē, to connect). Focus on understanding its application in both literal and metaphorical contexts.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 衔 (xián) with other characters that sound similar, leading to misunderstandings. For example, saying '我衔了这个问题' (I held this problem) instead of '我接受了这个问题' (I accepted this problem) can lead to confusion; use 衔 when discussing links or connections.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 衔
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 衔, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards 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 衔 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 衔?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 衔 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.
衔 = 钅 + 行. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 衔
IDS Structure⿻行钅
衔Full character
=
行hang2
outer
钅jin1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 衔?
How to say bit (of a bridle) in Chinese
“bit (of a bridle)” in Chinese is衔xián
The character 衔 (xián) primarily means 'to hold in the mouth' or 'to link.' It is often used in contexts involving carrying something, such as a horse's bit, or metaphorically to describe harboring feelings or titles. The term conveys a sense of connection or acceptance, making it versatile in both literal and figurative language.
When to use 衔
Be careful not to confuse 衔 (xián) with similar-sounding characters like 咸 (xián), which means 'salty.' This character is more formal and often appears in written language. Common collocations include 衔接 (xiánjiē, to link or connect) and 衔位 (xiánwèi, rank or title).
衔 or something close to it
衔 (xián) vs 承 (chéng) — use 衔 for holding in the mouth or linking, while 承 is used for accepting or undertaking responsibilities.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 衔 (xián) with other characters that sound similar, leading to misunderstandings. For example, saying '我衔了这个问题' (I held this problem) instead of '我接受了这个问题' (I accepted this problem) can lead to confusion; use 衔 when discussing links or connections.
Write 衔
衔
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 衔 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 衔
衔 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 8 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
这名重量级拳击冠军将尝试挑战霍利菲尔德的世界冠军头____。
The heavyweight champion will be given a shot at Holyfield's world title.
Example sentences for 衔 (9)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这名重量级拳击冠军将尝试挑战霍利菲尔德的世界冠军头衔。
zhè míng zhòngliàngjí quánjī guànjūn jiāng chángshì tiǎozhàn huò lì fēi ěr dé de shìjiè guànjūn tóuxián。
The heavyweight champion will be given a shot at Holyfield's world title.
2
剧本吸收了三个苏格兰民间故事并把它们相互衔接起来。
jùběn xīshōu le sāngè sū gé lán mínjiān gùshi bìng bǎ tāmen xiānghù xiánjiē qǐlái。
The play takes three Scottish tales and interlinks them.
3
那是国王赐给他的头衔。
nà shì guówáng cì gěi tā de tóuxián。
It was a title bestowed upon him by the king.
4
凭着对时装业的杰出贡献，他于1990年荣获英帝国官佐勋衔。
píng zhe duì shízhuāng yè de jiéchū gòngxiàn， tā yú1990 nián rónghuò Yīng dìguó guān zuǒ xūn xián。
He was awarded the OBE in 1990 for services to fashion.
5
母鸟在把打来的食衔回去喂小鸟.
mǔ niǎo zài bǎ dǎ lái de shí xián huíqù wèi xiǎoniǎo.
The mother bird was taking food to its young.
6
空缺的世界拳击理事会次轻量级头衔被取消了。
kōng quē de shìjiè quánjī lǐshì huì cì qīng liáng jí tóuxián bèi qǔxiāo le。
The vacant W.B.C. junior-lightweight title has been called off.
7
应当总是礼貌地用姓或头衔称呼老师.
yīngdāng zǒngshì lǐmào dì yòng xìng huò tóuxián chēnghu lǎoshī.
Always refer to a teacher by title and last name.
8
除姓名、军衔、部队编号和出生年月外，他再也不肯回答俘获他的人的任何问题。
chú xìngmíng、 jūn xián、 bùduì biānhào hé chūshēng nián yuè wài， tā zàiyě bù kěn huídá fúhuò tā de rén de rènhé wèntí。
He could never ever give any responses to his captor other than name, rank, serial number and date of birth.
9
现在,他正衔着旱烟管,扒在洞窟随手捡翻.
xiànzài, tā zhèng xián zhe hàn yān guǎn, bā zài dòng kū suíshǒu jiǎn fān.
With a pipe in his mouth , Taoist Wang jumbled through his new discoveries in the cave.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 衔?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
Word Family of 衔
Words containing this character13
头衔tóuxiántitle頭銜
衔接xiánjiēto combine銜接
衔xiánto link銜
军衔jūnxiánarmy rank軍銜
领衔lǐngxiánleading (role)領銜
官衔guānxiántitle官銜
领衔主演lǐngxiánzhǔyǎnstarring領銜主演
警衔jǐngxiánpolice rank警銜
授衔shòuxiánrank of professor授銜
职衔zhíxiántitle (position within an organization)職銜
