羨 meaning and stroke order
To covet, to envy; to admire, to praise
How to write 羨, stroke by stroke
13 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 羨
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to envy
How 羨 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Sheep.
羊 gives the meaning and 㳄 hints at the sound.
Radical: 羊 (sheep), shared by 23 characters on this site.
How to remember 羨
A sheep 羊 sits on top of 㳄, which shows a person drooling. Picture someone drooling at a fine sheep that belongs to someone else, and you have 羨 (xiàn), to envy.
羨 almost always appears in the word 羡慕 (xiànmù), which means to envy or admire in a mild, often friendly way. Example: 我很羡慕你。(Wǒ hěn xiànmù nǐ.) I really envy you.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 羡慕 (xiànmù) with 嫉妒 (jídù). 羡慕 is a harmless wish to have what someone has, while 嫉妒 is resentful jealousy. Also note the simplified form 羡 writes the bottom part with two dots (冫), not three (氵).
Common words with 羨
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 羨慕 | xiànmù | to envy; to admire | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 羨
How many strokes are in 羨?
羨 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 羨 mean?
羨 (xiàn) means to covet, to envy; to admire, to praise. A common word with it is 羡慕 (xiànmù), meaning "to envy; to admire".
How do you pronounce 羨?
羨 is pronounced xiàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 羨?
The radical of 羨 is 羊, which carries the idea of "sheep". Dictionaries list 羨 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 羨?
羨 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 羡, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 羡慕 a negative word?
Usually not. It expresses admiration or a wish to be in someone's position, and people often say it as a compliment, like 真羡慕你 (zhēn xiànmù nǐ), I'm so jealous of you, in a friendly tone.
Can 羨 be used alone without 慕?
In everyday speech it rarely stands alone. You will see it in a few literary or set words such as 艳羡 (yànxiàn), to admire greatly, but for normal conversation use 羡慕.