羡 meaning and stroke order
To envy, to covet; to admire, to praise
How to write 羡, stroke by stroke
12 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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Meaning of 羡
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to envy
How 羡 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Someone who has a whole row 次 of sheep 羊.
Radical: 羊 (sheep), shared by 23 characters on this site.
How to remember 羡
The top of 羡 is a sheep 羊 and the bottom is 次 (cì), which the hint reads as a whole row. Picture someone who owns a whole row of sheep 羊 while you look on, and you feel envy.
羡 almost always appears in the word 羡慕 (xiànmù), which means to envy or admire someone in a mild, often friendly way. It is common in everyday speech. Example: 我很羡慕你。(Wǒ hěn xiànmù nǐ.) I really envy you.
Common mistake: Learners often write the bottom as 欠 or 次 incorrectly, or drop the tail of 羊. In 羡 the 羊 loses its long vertical stroke so it can sit on top of 次. Also do not confuse 羡慕 (xiànmù) with 嫉妒 (jídù), which is a stronger, more negative jealousy.
Common words with 羡
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 羡慕 | xiànmù | to envy; to admire | HSK 7-9 |
羡 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 羡
How many strokes are in 羡?
羡 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 羡 mean?
羡 (xiàn) means to envy, to covet; to admire, to praise. A common word with it is 羡慕 (xiànmù), meaning "to envy; to admire".
How do you pronounce 羡?
羡 is pronounced xiàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 羡?
The radical of 羡 is 羊, which carries the idea of "sheep". Dictionaries list 羡 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 羡?
The traditional form of 羡 is 羨. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 羡 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 羡 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 羡 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Is 羡慕 negative like jealousy?
Usually not. 羡慕 is positive or neutral admiration, like saying you wish you had what someone has. For resentful jealousy, Chinese uses 嫉妒 (jídù).
Can 羡 be used alone without 慕?
In modern speech it rarely stands alone. You will see it mostly in 羡慕 or in literary phrases, so learning it through 羡慕 is the practical choice.