Meaning of 项
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- back of neck
- item
- thing
- term (in a mathematical formula)
- sum (of money)
- classifier for principles, items, clauses, tasks, research projects etc
- surname Xiang
How to use 项
In modern Chinese 项 is most often a classifier for formal items such as tasks, rules, research projects, and achievements. It is common in news and official writing. Example: 这项工作很重要。(Zhè xiàng gōngzuò hěn zhòngyào.) This task is very important.
项 is made of 工 (gōng) on the left and 页 (yè) on the right, and 页 is the part used in characters about the head. Picture the neck as the sturdy beam (工) that holds up your head (页), which is why 项 first meant the back of the neck, and a necklace is 项链 (xiàngliàn).
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 项 with 顶 (dǐng, top), because both have 页 on the right. Remember that 项 has 工 on the left and is fourth tone, while 顶 has 丁 on the left and is third tone. Another trap is using 项 for everyday objects. Say 一个苹果 (yí gè píngguǒ), not 一项苹果.
项 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.
项 xiàng · back of neck · 9 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Related words
Words that share a character with 项.
| 项目 | xiàngmù | item; project; (sports) event |
| 项链 | xiàngliàn | necklace |
| 选项 | xuǎnxiàng | option; alternative; choice; to choose a project |
| 强项 | qiángxiàng | key strength; strong suit |
| 事项 | shìxiàng | matter; item |
| 奖项 | jiǎngxiàng | award; prize |
| 款项 | kuǎnxiàng | funds; a sum of money (for a particular purpose) (CL:筆|笔[bi3]); item of a clause (in a leg |
| 项圈 | xiàngquān | necklace |
| 三项 | sānxiàng | three items; three events |
Questions about 项
What does 项 mean?
项 (xiàng) means "back of neck; item" and is used as a measure word.
How do you write 项?
项 is made of 1 character: 项 (9 strokes). That is 9 strokes in total.
Is 项 an HSK word?
Yes. 项 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 项 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 项 is written 項.
What is the difference between 项 and 个 as classifiers?
个 (gè) is a general classifier for almost anything. 项 is more formal and is used for abstract items like 一项任务 (yí xiàng rènwu, a task) or 一项研究 (yí xiàng yánjiū, a piece of research). Using 项 makes your speech or writing sound more official.
What does 项 mean in math?
In a formula, 项 means a term. For example, 常数项 (chángshù xiàng) is the constant term, and 同类项 (tónglèi xiàng) are like terms.