選 meaning and stroke order
To select, to elect, to choose; election
How to write 選, 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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Meaning of 選
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to choose
- to pick
- to select
- to elect
How 選 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Walk.
辶 gives the meaning and 巽 hints at the sound.
Radical: 辶 (to walk), shared by 131 characters on this site.
How to remember 選
選 is built from 辶 (walk) plus the sound part 巽 (xùn). Picture walking along a row of options and stepping forward to pick one, with 巽 giving a hint of the sound xuǎn.
選 means to choose or to elect, and it appears in many common words like 選擇 (xuǎnzé, to choose) and 選舉 (xuǎnjǔ, election). It can also stand alone as a verb. Example: 你選哪一個？ (Nǐ xuǎn nǎ yí ge?) Which one do you choose?
Common mistake: Learners sometimes say the tone as xuān or xuàn, but it is third tone, xuǎn. In simplified Chinese it is written 选, with 先 inside 辶, so do not mix up the two shapes when switching between scripts.
Common words with 選
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 選手 | xuǎnshǒu | athlete; contestant | HSK 3 |
| 選擇 | xuǎnzé | to select; to pick; choice; option; alternative | HSK 4 |
| 挑選 | tiāoxuǎn | to choose; to select | HSK 4 |
| 當選 | dāngxuǎn | to be elected; to be selected | HSK 5 |
| 選修 | xuǎnxiū | (at a school) to take as an elective; an elective | HSK 5 |
| 選舉 | xuǎnjǔ | to elect; election | HSK 6 |
| 選拔 | xuǎnbá | to select the best | HSK 6 |
| 評選 | píngxuǎn | to select on the basis of a vote or consensus | HSK 6 |
| 競選 | jìngxuǎn | to take part in an election; to run for office | HSK 7-9 |
| 候選人 | hòuxuǎnrén | candidate | HSK 7-9 |
| 人選 | rénxuǎn | choice of person; candidate | HSK 7-9 |
| 選民 | xuǎnmín | voter; constituency | HSK 7-9 |
| 選項 | xuǎnxiàng | option; alternative; choice; to choose a project | HSK 7-9 |
| 大選 | dàxuǎn | general election | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 選
How many strokes are in 選?
選 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 選 mean?
選 (xuǎn) means to select, to elect, to choose; election. A common word with it is 选手 (xuǎnshǒu), meaning "athlete; contestant".
How do you pronounce 選?
選 is pronounced xuǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 選?
The radical of 選 is 辶, which carries the idea of "to walk". Dictionaries list 選 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 選?
選 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 选, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 選 and 挑?
Both can mean to pick. 挑 (tiāo) is more casual and hands-on, like picking fruit, while 選 is broader and also covers formal choices and elections. They combine in 挑選 (tiāoxuǎn), to select carefully.
How do you say election or to be elected with 選?
An election is 選舉 (xuǎnjǔ). To be elected is 當選 (dāngxuǎn), as in 他當選了市長 (tā dāngxuǎn le shìzhǎng), he was elected mayor.