贤 - xián - Chinese character definition, English meaning and stroke order

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8 strokes
Simplified (switch to Traditional)

贤 (賢)

xián

Definition

worthy or virtuous person
honorific used for a person of the same or a younger generation

Character Decomposition

Related words (24)

贤人

xián rén

great person of the past; venerable forebear; the great and the good

diligent

virtuous person; a man of merit

贤妻

xián qī

(old) perfect wife; you, my beloved wife

贤弟

xián dì

worthy little brother

贤慧

xián huì

(of a wife) wise and kind; perfect in her traditional roles

贤才

xián cái

a genius; a talented person

贤明

xián míng

wise and capable; sagacious

贤淑

xián shū

(of a woman) virtuous

sage kings

sagacious prime minister (in feudal China)

sage

(of a man) able and virtuous

贤达

xián dá

prominent and worthy personage

贤内助

xián nèi zhù

(said of sb else's wife) a good wife

贤妻良母

xián qī liáng mǔ

a good wife and loving mother

先贤

xiān xián

worthy predecessor; distinguished person of the past; former sage

圣贤

shèng xián

a sage; wise and holy man; virtuous ruler; Buddhist lama; wine

holy book

to respect talent and make use of ability (Mencius)

尊贤爱物

zūn xián ài wù

to honor the wise and love the people; respecting noble talent while protecting the common people

respect for the wise

see a worthy, think to imitate (idiom, from Analects); emulate the virtuous; Follow the example of a virtuous and wise teacher.

识才尊贤

shí cái zūn xián

to recognize talent and have great respect for it

Idioms (11)

贤淑仁慈

xián shū rén cí

a virtuous and benevolent woman (idiom)

任人唯贤

rèn rén wéi xián

to appoint people according to their merits (idiom); appointment on the basis of ability and integrity

任贤使能

rèn xián shǐ néng

to appoint the virtuous and use the able (idiom); appointment on the basis of ability and integrity

圣经贤传

shèng jīng xián zhuàn

(lit.) holy scripture and biography of sage (idiom); refers to Confucian canonical texts

妒能害贤

dù néng hài xián

jealous of the able, envious of the clever (idiom)

妒贤忌能

dù xián jì néng

to envy the virtuous and talented (idiom)

招贤纳士

zhāo xián nà shì

invite the talented and call the valorous (idiom); to recruit talent

推贤让能

tuī xián ràng néng

to cede to the virtuous and yield to the talented (idiom)

敬老尊贤

jìng lǎo zūn xián

to respect the wise and venerate the worthy (idiom); to honor the great and the good

敬贤礼士

jìng xián lǐ shì

to revere people of virtue and honor scholarship (idiom)

让贤与能

ràng xián yǔ néng

to step aside and give a more worthy person a chance (idiom)

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