Chinese–EnglishWith examples

弦

xián · xian

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 7–9Old HSK 6Measure word: 根 gēn

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. bow string
  2. string of musical instrument
  3. watchspring
  4. chord (segment of curve)
  5. hypotenuse
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In a conversation

0:19 cartoon

A broken guitar string

  1. Liangliang

    糟糕(zāogāo)，我(wǒ)吉他(jítā)的(de)一根(yīgēn)弦(xián)断(duàn)了(le)。

    Oh no. A string on my guitar broke.

  2. Dengdeng

    哪(nǎ)根(gēn)弦(xián)？

    Which string?

  3. Liangliang

    最(zuì)细(xì)的(de)那(nà)根(gēn)，它(tā)总是(zǒngshì)先(xiān)断(duàn)。

    The thinnest one. It always breaks first.

  4. Dengdeng

    买(mǎi)根(gēn)新(xīn)弦(xián)吧(ba)，一套(yītào)有(yǒu)六根(liùgēn)。

    Buy a new string. A set has six strings.

  5. Liangliang

    可是(kěshì)我(wǒ)只(zhǐ)会(huì)弹(tán)一首(yīshǒu)歌(gē)，一根(yīgēn)弦(xián)就(jiù)够(gòu)了(le)！

    But I can only play one song. One string is enough!

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

我(wǒ)弄(nòng)断(duàn)了(le)我(wǒ)吉(jí)他(tā)的(de)一(yì)根(gēn)弦(xián)。

I broke a string on my guitar.

Tatoeba: Chinese by fucongcong · English by fendtwick · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

专(zhuān)家(jiā)就(jiù)好(hǎo)像(xiàng)一(yì)台(tái)只(zhǐ)有(yǒu)一(yì)根(gēn)弦(xián)的(de)小(xiǎo)提(tí)琴(qín)一(yí)样(yàng)。

Specialists are people who have only one string on their violin.

Tatoeba: Chinese by DaoSeng · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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