How to Write 咸 (xián)
Detailed Mastery Guide for 咸
The character 咸 (Traditional: 鹹) is a fundamental part of the Chinese language, representing "Salty". In our Level 2 curriculum, we focus on the 20-step stroke sequence to ensure your handwriting is both fast and accurate.
Writing & Recognition
Proper stroke order is essential for character recognition and legibility. By following the animation above, you can see how the character is built from top to bottom and left to right. This character is often categorized under Animals, Fruits & Food, making it a versatile addition to your vocabulary.
Key Vocabulary
Radical Breakdown
Breaking it down: The character 咸 is built on the radical 戈 (62). Understanding radicals like this is a proven technique for accelerating vocabulary acquisition.
Etymology & Origins
A phono-semantic compound where the mouth component (口) indicates the taste of salt, while the phonetic component (戌) suggests completion or unity.
Example Sentence
Simplified: 这道汤的味道太咸了。
Zhè dào tāng de wèidào tài xián le.
Traditional: 這道湯的味道太咸了。
Ze2 dou6 tong1 dik1 mei6 dou6 taai3 haam4 liu2.
"The taste of this soup is too salty."
Dialect Pronunciation
In Mandarin, this character is pronounced as xián. If you are learning Cantonese, the pronunciation is haam4. Use the audio buttons to hear the subtle tonal differences between the two major Chinese dialects.
Practice & Retention
To move this character from short-term to long-term memory, we recommend using our free practice sheet generator. Writing the character 10-15 times while following the correct sequence is a proven method for mastery.
Quick Self-Check
What is the meaning of '咸'?
Hope this tool helps your Chinese learning journey!
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