宪 (xiàn) is a Chinese character meaning “constitution”. It is written from 宀 (roof) and 先 (first; earlier; before; ahead), one above the other, and takes 9 strokes.
Build the character for “constitution”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
宀 + 先
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: 现代简化字形拆分（hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：0-2 宀 / 3-8 先）
Memory aid
Under one roof (宀), the rule that comes first (先), before every other law — that is the constitution.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
9 strokes
In real words
- 宪法xiàn fǎconstitution (of a country)宪 = xiàn
- 宪章xiàn zhāngcharter宪 = xiàn
Go deeper
All readings
constitution; statute
constitution; statute; law; to model on
法令；特指宪法。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 宪法xiàn fǎconstitution (of a country)宪 = xiàn
- 宪章xiàn zhāngcharter宪 = xiàn
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 宪 mean?
宪 (xiàn) means constitution; statute; law; to model on.
How do you pronounce 宪?
It is pronounced xiàn.
What parts is 宪 made of?
宀 (roof) and 先 (first; earlier; before; ahead), one above the other. The recorded source is: 现代简化字形拆分（hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：0-2 宀 / 3-8 先）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 宪 have?
9. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 宪?
宀. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 宪?
Common ones are 宪法 and 宪章. The reading of 宪 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.