How to Write 韱 (xiān) — Meaning “fine; thin; delicate”

Picture a leek (韭) sliced so thin that it becomes nearly transparent, like a sharp blade (㦰). The leek's slender leaves and the sharpness of the cut both remind you of the meaning 'fine and delicate'. Imagine the two components stacked to create a very fine, fragile object.

The top part 韭 has three horizontal strokes and a vertical stroke, ending with two small horizontal strokes at the bottom—do not confuse it with 非 or 北. The lower component 㦰 is composed of ㇀ (a short horizontal) and 戈 (spear) with a dot; ensure the dot is placed inside the hook of 戈. The overall shape is tall and narrow, so keep the balance between the two halves.

韱 (xiān) means fine or delicate, while 韰 (xiè) means a type of broad bean or a plant with broad leaves. Visually, 韱 has 韭 on top and 㦰 below, whereas 韰 has 韭 on top and 介 (jiè, meaning 'between' or 'shell') below. The lower component is the key difference: 㦰 vs 介.

韱 is a very rare character not included in HSK and mostly appears in classical or literary contexts. It is used in words like 韱韱 (xiān xiān, very fine) and 韱细 (xiān xì, fine and slender) to describe delicate textures or slender objects. You may encounter it in poetry or descriptions of fine craftsmanship, but it is not common in everyday conversation.

Common words containing 韱 include: 韱韱 (xiān xiān) — very fine; delicate; 韱弱 (xiān ruò) — delicate and weak; 韱细 (xiān xì) — fine and slender.