馅 meaning and stroke order
Filling, stuffing; secret
How to write 馅, stroke by stroke
11 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 馅
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- filling; stuffing (for dumplings, pies etc)
How 馅 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Food 饣 stuffed in a hole 臽; 臽 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 饣 (food), shared by 43 characters on this site.
How to remember 馅
The food radical 饣 sits beside 臽, which shows a hole or pit. Picture food stuffed into a hole, like filling packed inside a dumpling.
馅 (xiàn) is the filling inside dumplings, buns, pies and similar foods, and in northern speech it is often said as 馅儿 (xiànr). It also appears in 露馅 (lòuxiàn), meaning the filling shows through, so a secret or lie is exposed. Example: 这个饺子是什么馅的？(Zhège jiǎozi shì shénme xiàn de?) What filling does this dumpling have?
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 馅 with 陷 (xiàn, to sink or trap), which has the same sound and the same right side 臽 but uses the 阝 radical. If it is about food filling, use the food radical 饣.
Common words with 馅
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
馅 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 馅
How many strokes are in 馅?
馅 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 馅 mean?
馅 (xiàn) means filling, stuffing; secret. A common word with it is 馅儿 (xiànr), meaning "erhua variant of 餡|馅[xian4]".
How do you pronounce 馅?
馅 is pronounced xiàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 馅?
The radical of 馅 is 饣, which carries the idea of "food". Dictionaries list 馅 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 馅?
The traditional form of 馅 is 餡. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 馅 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 馅 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 馅 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 露馅 mean in everyday conversation?
露馅 (lòuxiàn) literally means the filling leaks out. People use it when a lie, trick or secret is accidentally revealed, as in 他一说话就露馅了 (Tā yì shuōhuà jiù lòuxiàn le), He gave himself away as soon as he spoke.
Is 馅饼 the same as a Western pie?
馅饼 (xiànbǐng) is usually a flat, pan-fried Chinese pastry filled with meat or vegetables. Dictionaries translate it as pie, but it is closer to a stuffed flatbread than a baked sweet pie.