Meanings of 憲
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About 憲
Podcast: 憲
Podcast: 憲
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AI Study Notes for 憲
Be careful not to confuse 憲 (law) with related terms like 法 (fǎ), which means 'law' in a broader sense. This character is more formal and often appears in legal documents or scholarly discussions. Common collocations include 憲法 (xiànfǎ), meaning 'constitution'.
While 憲 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it shares roots with other legal terms. Students should focus on recognizing its use in formal contexts and understanding its relation to words like 法律 (fǎlǜ) for 'law' and 制度 (zhìdù) for 'system'.
Learners often confuse 憲 with other characters like 现 (xiàn), which means 'present'. A common mistake is using 憲 in informal contexts, where 法 (fǎ) would be more appropriate.
Pronunciation of 憲
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Etymology of 憲
Phonosemantic compound. 宀 represents the meaning and 先 represents the sound. Simplified form of 憲.
Rules 宀 for living 龶; 心 provides the pronunciation
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 憲
Phonosemantic compound. 宀 represents the meaning and 先 represents the sound. Simplified form of 憲.
- 1The giveawayRules 宀 for living 龶; 心 provides the pronunciation
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 憲? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 憲
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How to say constitution, statute, law in Chinese
“constitution, statute, law” in Chinese is憲
The character 憲 (xiàn) refers to laws or statutes, specifically those that form the foundation of a legal system, such as a constitution. It is commonly used in formal contexts, particularly in discussions related to governance, legal frameworks, and civil rights.
When to use 憲
Be careful not to confuse 憲 (law) with related terms like 法 (fǎ), which means 'law' in a broader sense. This character is more formal and often appears in legal documents or scholarly discussions. Common collocations include 憲法 (xiànfǎ), meaning 'constitution'.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 憲 with other characters like 现 (xiàn), which means 'present'. A common mistake is using 憲 in informal contexts, where 法 (fǎ) would be more appropriate.
Write 憲
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Practice writing 憲 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Cultural Notes for 憲
The understanding of law as a formal document, like a constitution, is similar in many Western countries, but the emphasis on moral underpinnings in Chinese law may differ from the more procedural focus often seen in Western legal systems.
Word Family of 憲
Compound Meaning
What does 宪法 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 憲
憲 specifically refers to constitutional law or statutes, whereas 法 is a more general term for law.
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