贤 Stroke Order — How to Write 贤
贤 is written in 8 strokes, following the standard Chinese stroke order. Start from the radical 贝, then complete the remaining strokes.
Stroke order matters in Chinese: it keeps the character balanced, and it is how dictionaries and handwriting input methods expect a character to be written.
贤 Radical and Character Components
money.
Radical: 贝 + 4 more strokes
贤 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- xián
Meanings of 贤 in Chinese
1
xián贤
Virtuous; talented; sagacious.
她是一位贤淑的妻子，总是把家里打理得井井有条。
She is a virtuous and gentle wife, always keeping the home well-organized.
A polite and respectful term used to address a peer or a junior, similar to 'my dear friend' or 'my dear nephew/disciple', emphasizing their good qualities.
我的贤侄最近在学中国功夫，进步很快。
My dear nephew has been learning Chinese kung fu recently and is making rapid progress.
Common Words and Phrases with 贤
1
A virtuous and talented person; a person of both virtue and talent.
他以其贤才君子的风范，赢得了所有人的尊重和信任。
With his demeanor as a virtuous and capable gentleman, he earned everyone's respect and trust.
2
A courteous term for a paternal cousin.
我的贤从今日远道而来，我们欢聚一堂，共叙旧情。
My esteemed cousin arrived from afar today, and we gathered together joyfully to reminisce about old times.
3
A prominent personage; a person of virtue, talent, and prestige.
村里的贤达们常被邀请参与社区事务的讨论，他们的智慧和经验深受尊重。
The esteemed individuals in the village are often invited to participate in discussions on community affairs, and their wisdom and experience are highly respected.
4
Virtuous and kind.
这位母亲以其贤德的品行，成为了子女们的榜样。
This mother, with her virtuous character, became a role model for her children.
5
Virtuous, kind, and understanding, typically used to describe a woman.
她不仅美丽，而且非常贤惠，是大家公认的好妻子。
She is not only beautiful but also very virtuous, recognized by everyone as a good wife.
6
diligent; hardworking
她为了家庭的幸福，一生贤劳，从不抱怨。
She toiled diligently for the happiness of her family her entire life, never complaining.
7
able and virtuous
这位家族的族长以其贤良品德受到村里人的尊敬。
The patriarch of this family is respected by the villagers for his virtuous character.
8
Virtuous, upright, and outspoken; historically, a Han dynasty imperial examination subject for selecting officials with these qualities.
在...时选拔家族事务的管理者，祖父总是强调要挑选那些贤良方正、公私分明的人。
When selecting managers for family affairs, grandfather always emphasized choosing individuals who are virtuous and upright, and clear about public and private matters.
9
the path or opportunity for talented individuals to enter public service or advance in their careers.
在这个行业中，为年轻人开辟贤路是前辈们的责任。
In this industry, it is the responsibility of experienced professionals to pave the way for talented young people to advance.
10
wise and able
这位老师以其贤明的教学方法，深受学生们的尊敬
This teacher is deeply respected by students for their wise and effective teaching methods.
11
virtuous and capable
这家公司在选拔人才时，总是优先考虑那些既有才干又品德高尚的贤能之士。
When selecting talent, this company always prioritizes virtuous and capable individuals who are both talented and of high moral character.
12
A respectful term used to address one's student or a younger friend/junior.
老夫观贤契近年学业精进，甚是欣慰。
I am greatly pleased to observe your significant academic progress in recent years, my esteemed young friend.
13
a person of virtue and talent; a worthy or sagacious person
他不仅学识渊博，品德高尚，是一位名副其实的贤人，深受学生和同事的尊敬
He is not only knowledgeable and virtuous, a truly worthy person, deeply respected by his students and colleagues.
14
able and virtuous person
这位老者被公认为我们镇上的贤士，他的智慧深受大家敬仰。
This elder is widely recognized as the wise man of our town, and his wisdom is deeply respected by everyone.
15
virtuous and kind
她是一位贤淑的妻子，总是把家里打理得井井有条，对丈夫和孩子都关爱有加。
She is a virtuous and kind wife, always keeping the home tidy and caring deeply for her husband and children.
16
A sage; a wise and virtuous person.
古代的贤哲们常常通过思考人生的意义来指导世人。
Ancient sages often guided people by contemplating the meaning of life.
More words with 贤
- ràng让xián贤yield to the capable, abdicate to a worthy person
- xiān先xián贤sages, ancient worthies
- shèng圣xián贤Sage, Worthy
- xián贤cái才talented person, able person
- xián贤zhě者sage, wise person
- xián贤chén臣wise minister, virtuous official
- xián贤jūn君Wise ruler, Virtuous ruler
- xián贤ruǎn阮Xian Ruan, Virtuous Ruan
- xián贤zhí侄nephew, dear nephew
- shàng尚xián贤Value the capable, Honor the worthy
- shèng圣xián贤shū书Books of sages and worthies, Classical texts
- xián贤dì弟Junior brother, My dear brother
- xián贤zhǔ主wise ruler, enlightened sovereign
- bāo褒xián贤Praise the virtuous, Commend the worthy
- gǔ古xián贤ancient sage, ancient worthy
- xián贤dá达men们sages, luminaries
- xián贤zhé哲men们sages, wise men
- xiān先xián贤men们ancestors, forefathers
- xián贤dé德jiān兼bèi备virtuous and capable, both virtuous and talented
- xián贤néng能zhī之shì士Virtuous and capable people, Talented individuals
Idioms with 贤
- xián贤qī妻liáng良mǔ母a good wife and kind mother
- xián贤rén人jūn君zǐ子virtuous and noble gentleman
- ào傲xián贤màn慢shì士arrogant towards the worthy and dismissive of scholars
- bāo褒xián贤è遏è恶Praise good, curb evil
- gǔ古shèng圣xiān先xián贤ancient sages and virtuous individuals
- jí嫉xián贤dù妒néng能envy the virtuous and capable
- jìn进xián贤rèn任néng能recommend and appoint the virtuous and capable
- jìng敬lǎo老zūn尊xián贤respect the elderly and honor the worthy
- jìng敬xián贤ài爱shì士Respect the virtuous and cherish scholars
- jǔ举xián贤rèn任néng能recommend the virtuous and appoint the capable
- jǔ举xián贤shǐ使néng能recommend the virtuous and appoint the capable
- lǐ礼xián贤xià下shì士treat the virtuous and talented with courtesy
Recommended tools
Character Highlight Animator
Choose character parts and animate their colors, together or in stroke order
Open the tool →
Picture Worksheets
Chinese and English fill-in vocabulary worksheets
Open the tool →
Writing Worksheets
Printable tracing sheets with a QR learning companion
Open the tool →
Chinese Text Image Generator
Create PNGs with pinyin, highlight character parts or remove strokes
Open the tool →Questions about 贤
What does 贤 mean in Chinese?
贤 (xián) means “Virtuous” in Chinese.
How do you pronounce 贤?
贤 is pronounced xián in Mandarin Chinese.
How many strokes does 贤 have?
贤 has 8 strokes.
How do you write 贤?
贤 is written in 8 strokes, starting from the radical 贝. See the animated stroke order on this page.
What is the radical of 贤?
The radical of 贤 is 贝, and 贤 is a phono-semantic compound.