玄 meaning and stroke order
Black; mysterious
How to write 玄, stroke by stroke
5 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Meaning of 玄
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- black
- mysterious
How 玄 is built
Components of the character.
How to remember 玄
A lid 亠 sits on top of 幺 (yāo), a tiny twisted thread. Picture a fine thread hanging into darkness from under a cover, so thin and hidden that it feels dark and mysterious.
玄 (xuán) appears mostly in words and set phrases about things that are mysterious, hard to grasp, or hard to believe, rather than on its own. A common word is 玄机 (xuánjī), hidden meaning or mysterious principle: 这句话里有玄机。(Zhè jù huà lǐ yǒu xuánjī.) There is a hidden meaning in this sentence.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 玄 with 去 (qù) or 幻 (huàn) because of the similar parts. Remember that 玄 has the dot and horizontal lid 亠 on top of 幺, while 幻 puts 幺 on the left next to a hook stroke.
Common words with 玄
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 玄机 | xuánjī | profound theory (in Daoism and Buddhism); mysterious principles | HSK 7-9 |
Characters that contain 玄
Learning 玄 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 玄
How many strokes are in 玄?
玄 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 玄 mean?
玄 (xuán) means black; mysterious. A common word with it is 玄机 (xuánjī), meaning "profound theory (in Daoism and Buddhism); mysterious principles".
How do you pronounce 玄?
玄 is pronounced xuán, in the second tone (rising).
Is 玄 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 玄 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Why does 玄 mean black?
The dictionary lists black as one of its senses, alongside mysterious. The two ideas connect easily, since something dark is hard to see into and feels deep or unknown.
Does 玄 appear as a part of other characters?
Yes. It is a component in characters such as 弦 (xián, string), 炫 (xuàn, to dazzle) and 眩 (xuàn, dizzy). In these characters it often hints at a xuan or xian sound.