Meanings of 懸
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About 懸
Podcast: 懸
Podcast: 懸
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AI Study Notes for 懸
悬 (xuán) vs 掛 (guà) — use 懸 for a more literary or formal context, while 掛 is more common in everyday speech.
Be careful not to confuse 懸 with similar characters like 玄 (xuán), which means 'mysterious.' This word is neutral in tone, but in written contexts, it often appears in more formal or literary settings. Common collocations include 懸念 (xuánniàn, 'to worry about') and 懸崖 (xuányá, 'cliff').
While 懸 is not on the HSK list, it relates to HSK Level 4 vocabulary involving actions and states. Focus on its usage in phrases or idioms to better integrate it with your existing vocabulary.
Learners often confuse 懸 with 玄 due to their similar pronunciation. For example, saying '我懸心' (wǒ xuán xīn) instead of '我担心' (wǒ dān xīn, 'I worry') is incorrect, as 懸 does not convey the meaning of 'to worry.'
Pronunciation of 懸
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Etymology of 懸
Pride 心 in one's country 縣, expressed by a flag; 縣 also provides the pronunciation
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 懸
- 1The giveawayPride 心 in one's country 縣, expressed by a flag; 縣 also 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 懸? 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
What type of character formation is 懸?
Decomposition of 懸
Identify the Components
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How to say to hang, to hoist, to suspend; hung in Chinese
“to hang, to hoist, to suspend; hung” in Chinese is懸
The character 懸 (xuán) means 'to hang,' 'to hoist,' or 'to suspend.' It is commonly used in contexts related to hanging objects, such as decorations or signs, and can also imply a sense of being in suspense or uncertainty.
When to use 懸
Be careful not to confuse 懸 with similar characters like 玄 (xuán), which means 'mysterious.' This word is neutral in tone, but in written contexts, it often appears in more formal or literary settings. Common collocations include 懸念 (xuánniàn, 'to worry about') and 懸崖 (xuányá, 'cliff').
懸 or something close to it
悬 (xuán) vs 掛 (guà) — use 懸 for a more literary or formal context, while 掛 is more common in everyday speech.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 懸 with 玄 due to their similar pronunciation. For example, saying '我懸心' (wǒ xuán xīn) instead of '我担心' (wǒ dān xīn, 'I worry') is incorrect, as 懸 does not convey the meaning of 'to worry.'
Write 懸
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Practice writing 懸 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 懸
Compound Meaning
What does 悬 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 懸
It is pronounced as 'xuán' with a rising tone.
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