線 meaning and stroke order
Line, thread, wire; clue, trail
How to write 線, stroke by stroke
15 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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- 15
Meaning of 線
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- thread
- string
- wire
- line
- (after a number) tier (unofficial ranking of a Chinese city)
How 線 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
糹 gives the meaning and 泉 hints at the sound.
Radical: 糹 (silk), shared by 126 characters on this site.
How to remember 線
線 combines the silk radical 糹, meaning thread, with 泉 (quán, spring), which gives the sound. Picture a thin silk thread trickling out like water from a spring to form a long line.
線 (xiàn) is the traditional form used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, while mainland China writes 线. It covers physical threads and wires as well as abstract lines like routes, clues and front lines, and after a number it can mean a city tier, as in 一線城市 (yī xiàn chéngshì, first-tier city). Example: 這條路線很方便。(Zhè tiáo lùxiàn hěn fāngbiàn.) This route is very convenient.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up the right side 泉 with 白 or 水 alone, or copy the simplified right side 戋 into the traditional form. Also keep the falling fourth tone xiàn and do not confuse it with 現 (xiàn, now), which sounds the same.
Common words with 線
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 路線 | lùxiàn | itinerary; route | HSK 3 |
| 線索 | xiànsuǒ | trail; clues | HSK 5 |
| 光線 | guāngxiàn | light ray; light | HSK 5 |
| 直線 | zhíxiàn | straight line; sharply (rise or fall) | HSK 5 |
| 線路 | xiànlù | (electricity) line; circuit; wire; (traffic) road; track; route | HSK 6 |
| 熱線 | rèxiàn | hotline (communications link) | HSK 6 |
| 無線電 | wúxiàndiàn | radio; wireless (i.e. the technology used in radio telecommunication); a radio | HSK 7-9 |
| 前線 | qiánxiàn | front line; military front | HSK 7-9 |
| 視線 | shìxiàn | line of sight | HSK 7-9 |
| 電線 | diànxiàn | wire; power cord | HSK 7-9 |
| 在線 | zàixiàn | online; connected to the Internet; (fig.) (coll.) (of a person) mentally focused; engaged; | HSK 7-9 |
| 底線 | dǐxiàn | bottom line; the limit of what one is prepared to accept; (sports) baseline | HSK 7-9 |
| 一線 | yīxiàn | front line; front-line position; a ray of; a glimmer of (hope, light etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 天線 | tiānxiàn | antenna; aerial; (fig.) connection to higher authorities; channel to influential people | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 線
How many strokes are in 線?
線 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 線 mean?
線 (xiàn) means line, thread, wire; clue, trail. A common word with it is 路线 (lùxiàn), meaning "itinerary; route".
How do you pronounce 線?
線 is pronounced xiàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 線?
The radical of 線 is 糹, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 線 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 線?
線 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 线, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What measure word goes with 線?
Use 條 (tiáo) for lines, routes and wires, as in 一條線 (yì tiáo xiàn). For thread on a spool you may hear 根 (gēn) for a single strand.
How do you say online and offline with 線?
Online is 線上 (xiànshàng) or 在線 (zàixiàn), and offline is 線下 (xiànxià) or 離線 (líxiàn). 線下 often means in person, like an offline event.