弦 (xián) · string (of a musical instrument or a bow)

Measure Word

一根弦 gēn

Meanings

1 string (of a musical instrument or a bow)
2 chord (in mathematics); hypotenuse

Characters

弦

xián

string; chord

Examples

HSK 7-9

吉他有六根弦。

Jítā yǒu liù gēn xián.

A guitar has six strings.

HSK 7-9

他拨动了琴弦。

Tā bōdòng le qínxián.

He plucked the strings of the instrument.

HSK 7-9

这件事触动了她心中的一根弦。

Zhè jiàn shì chùdòng le tā xīnzhōng de yì gēn xián.

This matter struck a chord in her heart.

Tips

memory

The character 弦 has the bow radical 弓 on the left - a bowstring is the original meaning. From bow strings to instrument strings to math strings, the concept of a taut line connecting two points runs through all the meanings.

Components

radical

弓 gōng

bow

Left bow radical - a pictograph of a curved hunting bow. Carries the meaning: 弦 is the tensioned string of a bow, by extension a musical instrument's string or a tense crescent moon. Indexes 弦 alongside 引 to draw, 张 to stretch, 弹 to flick.

phonetic

玄 xuán

dark; mysterious (here phonetic)

Right side 玄 supplies the sound - xuán → xián through an old vowel shift. The 'dark, mysterious' meaning is not active; 玄 is a sound tag, though originally 玄 depicted a twisted thread, faintly echoing the taut twisted gut of the bowstring. Same phonetic in 眩 dizzy, 炫 dazzle.