弦 (xián) is a Chinese character meaning “bowstring”. It is written from 弓 (bow) and 玄 (dark; mysterious), side by side, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “bowstring; string”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
弓 + 玄
Left–right structure
Structure from: 说文解字「弦，弓弦也。从弓，象絲軫之形」；IDS 拆分 ⿰弓玄，并以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：笔画 0–2 为「弓」，笔画 3–7 与「玄」逐笔对应（3+5=8画）
Memory aid
A bow (弓) on the left, 玄 on the right. 玄 is the sound part here (xuán → xián), and it also looks like twisted silk threads — the taut string stretched across the bow.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 琴弦qín xiánstring of a musical instrument弦 = xián
- 弦乐xián yuèstring music弦 = xián
Go deeper
All readings
bowstring; string
bowstring; string of a musical instrument; chord (in geometry)
弓上发箭的绳；乐器上发声的丝线或钢丝；数学上指圆上两点之间的直线。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 琴弦qín xiánstring of a musical instrument弦 = xián
- 弦乐xián yuèstring music弦 = xián
Sound component
玄 family rime near
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 弦 mean?
弦 (xián) means bowstring; string of a musical instrument; chord (in geometry).
How do you pronounce 弦?
It is pronounced xián.
What parts is 弦 made of?
弓 (bow) and 玄 (dark; mysterious), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字「弦，弓弦也。从弓，象絲軫之形」；IDS 拆分 ⿰弓玄，并以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：笔画 0–2 为「弓」，笔画 3–7 与「玄」逐笔对应（3+5=8画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 弦 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 弦?
弓. 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 弦?
Common ones are 琴弦 and 弦乐. The reading of 弦 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.