遷 meaning and stroke order
To shift, to move; to transfer, to change
How to write 遷, stroke by stroke
14 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 遷
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to move
- to shift
- to change (a position or location etc)
- to promote
How 遷 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Walk.
辶 gives the meaning and 䙴 hints at the sound.
Radical: 辶 (to walk), shared by 131 characters on this site.
How to remember 遷
遷 is built from 辶, the walking radical that signals movement, and 䙴 (qiān), which gives the sound. Picture someone walking away with all their belongings to remember "to move" and the sound qiān.
遷 appears mostly in two-character words about relocating or changing, such as 搬遷 (bānqiān, to relocate), 遷移 (qiānyí, to migrate), and 變遷 (biànqiān, changes over time). It can also mean moving up in rank, as in 升遷 (shēngqiān). Example: 我們家明年要搬遷。(Wǒmen jiā míngnián yào bānqiān.) Our family is going to relocate next year.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes say 遷 with the fourth tone, mixing it up with 欠 (qiàn) or 歉 (qiàn), but it is first tone, qiān. Also, 遷就 (qiānjiù) does not mean "to move closer". It means to give in to someone or accommodate them.
Common words with 遷
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 拆遷 | chāiqiān | to demolish a building and relocate the inhabitants | HSK 6 |
| 遷移 | qiānyí | to migrate; to move | HSK 7-9 |
| 遷就 | qiānjiù | to yield to; to adapt to; to accommodate oneself to (sth) | HSK 7-9 |
| 搬遷 | bānqiān | to move; to relocate | HSK 7-9 |
| 變遷 | biànqiān | changes; vicissitudes | HSK 7-9 |
| 遷徙 | qiānxǐ | to migrate; to move | |
| 升遷 | shēngqiān | to advance to a higher-level position; to be promoted to a higher position in a new depart |
Characters that contain 遷
Learning 遷 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 遷
How many strokes are in 遷?
遷 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 遷 mean?
遷 (qiān) means to shift, to move; to transfer, to change. A common word with it is 拆迁 (chāiqiān), meaning "to demolish a building and relocate the inhabitants".
How do you pronounce 遷?
遷 is pronounced qiān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 遷?
The radical of 遷 is 辶, which carries the idea of "to walk". Dictionaries list 遷 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 遷?
遷 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 迁, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 遷 and 搬 (bān)?
搬 is the everyday verb for moving house or carrying things, as in 搬家 (bānjiā). 遷 sounds more formal and usually appears in compounds like 遷移 or 搬遷, often about people, offices, or populations relocating.
What does 拆遷 (chāiqiān) mean in news about China?
拆遷 means demolishing old buildings and relocating the residents, usually for urban development. It is a very common word in reports on housing and city planning.