閒 meaning and stroke order
Leisure, idle time; tranquil, peaceful, calm
How to write 閒, 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 閒
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- variant of 間|间[jian1]
- variant of 間|间[jian4]
How 閒 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. The moon 月 seen through a door 門; night-time.
Radical: 門 (gate), shared by 42 characters on this site.
How to remember 閒
Picture the moon 月 shining through a door 門. When you have time to stand at the door and watch the moon at night, you are at leisure, so 閒 (xián) means idle time and calm.
閒 is the traditional form, and in simplified Chinese it is usually written 闲. It appears in words about free time and idle talk, such as 休闲 (xiūxián, leisure) and 闲聊 (xiánliáo, to chat). Example: 少管閒事。(Shǎo guǎn xiánshì.) Mind your own business.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 閒 with 間 (jiān), which has 日 inside the door instead of 月. In older texts 閒 can stand for 間, but in modern use read 閒 as xián, and write 間 for "between" or "room".
Common words with 閒
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 休閒 | xiūxián | leisure; relaxation | HSK 5 |
| 悠閒 | yōuxián | leisurely; carefree | HSK 7-9 |
| 說閒話 | shuō xiánhuà | to chat; to gossip | HSK 7-9 |
| 多管閒事 | duōguǎnxiánshì | meddling in other people's business | |
| 閒聊 | xiánliáo | to chat; casual conversation | |
| 空閒 | kòngxián | leisure; spare time; (of a person) free; unoccupied | |
| 管閒事 | guǎnxiánshì | to meddle; to be a "nosy Parker" | |
| 少管閒事 | shǎoguǎnxiánshì | Mind your own business!; Don't interfere! | |
| 閒話 | xiánhuà | casual conversation; chat | |
| 閒事 | xiánshì | other people's business | |
| 閒置 | xiánzhì | to leave unused; to leave idle; to lie idle | |
| 閒晃 | xiánhuàng | to hang around; to hang out |
Questions about 閒
How many strokes are in 閒?
閒 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 閒 mean?
閒 (xián) means leisure, idle time; tranquil, peaceful, calm. A common word with it is 休闲 (xiūxián), meaning "leisure; relaxation".
How do you pronounce 閒?
閒 is pronounced xián, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 閒?
The radical of 閒 is 門, which carries the idea of "gate". Dictionaries list 閒 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 閒?
閒 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 闲, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 閒 the same as 闲 in simplified Chinese?
For the meaning "leisure" or "idle", yes. The simplified form 闲 puts 木 inside the door instead of 月. When 閒 is used as a variant of 間, its simplified equivalent is 间.
Does 闲话 (xiánhuà) mean something negative?
It can mean simple chat, but 说闲话 (shuō xiánhuà) often means gossiping or complaining about someone behind their back. The tone depends on context.