Meaning of 选
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to choose
- to pick
- to select
- to elect
How to use 选
选 is a common verb for picking something from a set, and it also means to vote someone into a role. On its own it is very colloquial, while 选择 (xuǎnzé) sounds more formal. Example: 你选哪个？(Nǐ xuǎn nǎge?) Which one do you choose?
选 has the walking radical 辶 on the left and 先 (xiān, first) sitting on top of it. Picture walking along a line of options and taking the one you want first.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 选 (xuǎn) and 远 (yuǎn, far), because both sit on 辶 and both are third tone. Check the top part: 选 has 先, while 远 has 元.
选 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
选 xuǎn · to choose · 9 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 选.
| 选手 | xuǎnshǒu | athlete; contestant |
| 选择 | xuǎnzé | to select; to pick; choice; option; alternative |
| 挑选 | tiāoxuǎn | to choose; to select |
| 当选 | dāngxuǎn | to be elected; to be selected |
| 选修 | xuǎnxiū | (at a school) to take as an elective; an elective |
| 选举 | xuǎnjǔ | to elect; election |
| 选拔 | xuǎnbá | to select the best |
| 评选 | píngxuǎn | to select on the basis of a vote or consensus |
| 竞选 | jìngxuǎn | to take part in an election; to run for office |
| 候选人 | hòuxuǎnrén | candidate |
| 人选 | rénxuǎn | choice of person; candidate |
| 选民 | xuǎnmín | voter; constituency |
Questions about 选
What does 选 mean?
选 (xuǎn) means "to choose; to pick" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 选?
选 is made of 1 character: 选 (9 strokes). That is 9 strokes in total.
Is 选 an HSK word?
Yes. 选 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 选 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 选 is written 選.
What is the difference between 选 and 挑?
Both mean to pick. 挑 (tiāo) suggests carefully sorting through things to find the best, like 挑水果 (picking fruit). 选 is more general and is the one used for voting and elections.
How do you say 'elected' or 'to vote for someone' with 选?
Use 选 directly, as in 我们选他当班长 (Wǒmen xuǎn tā dāng bānzhǎng), We elected him class monitor. To say someone was elected, use 当选 (dāngxuǎn), as in 他当选了 (Tā dāngxuǎn le), He was elected.