How to Write 衔 (xián) — Meaning “To hold in the mouth”

Picture a horse stepping forward (行) with a metal bit (钅) clamped in its teeth. The image of a gold coin held between your lips while walking can also remind you of the sound "xián." This connects the metal symbol and walking action to the meaning of holding in the mouth.

Write the left part 彳 first (2 strokes), then the middle 钅 (5 strokes), and finally the right part 亍 (3 strokes). A common mistake is making the 钅 too wide — keep it narrow so the whole character fits neatly between the two walking components. Remember that the vertical lines of 彳 and 亍 should be aligned.

衔 has 钅 (metal) inside 行, while 衍 has 氵 (water) inside, meaning "overflow." 衖 has 共 (together) inside 行 and refers to an alley. Visually, the middle part is different: metal (衔), water (衍), or together (衖).

衔 appears in words like 衔接 (link up) for connecting things, 军衔 (military rank) for insignia on uniforms, and 衔着 (holding in the mouth) for animals. It also forms 头衔 (title) for professional titles. Though not in HSK, it is common in formal and written Chinese, especially related to hierarchy or connection.

Common words containing 衔 include: 衔接 (xián jiē) — To link up; 军衔 (jūn xián) — Military rank; 衔着 (xián zhe) — Holding in the mouth.