薦 meaning and stroke order
To recommend; to recur, to repeat
How to write 薦, stroke by stroke
17 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 薦
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to recommend
- to offer sacrifice (arch.)
- grass
- straw mat
How 薦 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Perennial grass.
艹 gives the meaning and 廌 hints at the sound.
Radical: 艹 (grass), shared by 421 characters on this site.
How to remember 薦
薦 is grass 艹 on top of 廌 (zhì), which gives the sound. Picture someone laying out a mat of fresh grass for a guest, offering the best they have, which is like recommending something good.
Today 薦 mostly appears in words about recommending people or things, especially 推荐 (tuījiàn). The older senses of grass, straw mat, and offering sacrifice are rare outside classical texts. Example: 你能推荐一本书吗？ (Nǐ néng tuījiàn yì běn shū ma?) Can you recommend a book?
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 推荐 (tuījiàn, to recommend) with 推销 (tuīxiāo, to promote or sell). 推荐 means suggesting something you think is good, while 推销 is about selling. Also keep the fourth tone on jiàn, not the first tone of 尖 (jiān).
Common words with 薦
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 推薦 | tuījiàn | to recommend | HSK 7-9 |
| 推薦信 | tuījiànxìn | recommendation letter | |
| 引薦 | yǐnjiàn | to recommend sb; to give a referral |
Questions about 薦
How many strokes are in 薦?
薦 is written with 17 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 薦 mean?
薦 (jiàn) means to recommend; to recur, to repeat. A common word with it is 推荐 (tuījiàn), meaning "to recommend".
How do you pronounce 薦?
薦 is pronounced jiàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 薦?
The radical of 薦 is 艹, which carries the idea of "grass". Dictionaries list 薦 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 薦?
薦 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 荐, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 推荐 and 引荐?
推荐 (tuījiàn) is the everyday word for recommending anything, such as a restaurant, a book, or a person. 引荐 (yǐnjiàn) is more formal and specifically means introducing or referring a person to someone who can help them.
Can 薦 be used alone as a verb?
In modern speech it is almost always part of a compound like 推荐. Using 薦 by itself sounds literary or classical, so learners should stick to 推荐 in conversation and writing.