Chinese word

献

Pronunciation

Pinyinxiàn

Meaning

  • verbdevote

Example

他把一生都献给了教育。tā bǎ yì shēng dōu xiàn gěi le jiào yù

He devoted his whole life to education.

Illustration for 献 (devote)

More examples

志愿者们在活动中献爱心，帮助了很多老人。zhì yuàn zhě men zài huó dòng zhōng xiàn ài xīn bāng zhù le hěn duō lǎo rén

The volunteers showed love at the event and helped many elderly people.

Core concept

A person sets something valuable apart and gives it as an act of honor, with the same pattern extending from gifts to time, effort, and service.

Common phrases

  • 献爱心xiàn ài xīn

    show love

  • 献花xiàn huā

    offer flowers

  • 献血xiàn xuè

    donate blood

Similar words

贡献gòng xiàn: Use one's abilities or resources to benefit a group or help achieve a goal.
献身xiàn shēn: Commit one's whole self, time, and strength to a person or line of work.
送sòng: Transfer or deliver an item to its intended recipient.

Definition in Chinese

把礼物、供物或敬意呈上给他人或神明，含有尊敬或恭献的意味。bǎ lǐ wù gōng wù huò jìng yì chéng shàng gěi tā rén huò shén míng hán yǒu zūn jìng huò gōng xiàn de yì wèi

Word origin

The character reflects older written forms used for presenting offerings in ceremonies, which led to the broader sense of giving something valuable in a devoted or respectful way.

Usage tips

  • The word is especially useful as a register cue in speeches, biographies, and news reports, where it can make a commitment sound solemn rather than merely practical.

Other meanings

  • offerverb
  • presentverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 献身xiàn shēndedicationnoun
  • 奉献fèng xiàndevoteverb
  • 献策xiàn cègive adviceverb

Word lists with this word