HSK · Level 120
45 words
Chinese word
玄
Pronunciation
Pinyinxuán
Meaning
- adjectivedeep
Example
他的说法很玄，需要想一想。tā de shuō fǎ hěn xuán xū yào xiǎng yì xiǎng
His way of putting it is very deep, so it takes some thought.
More examples
这本书讨论的问题很玄，需要读者有一定哲学基础。zhè běn shū tǎo lùn de wèn tí hěn xuán xū yào dú zhě yǒu yí dìng zhé xué jī chǔ
The problems discussed in this book are very deep, so readers need some background in philosophy.
Core concept
A dark and distant depth that ordinary understanding cannot easily reach.
Common phrases
很玄hěn xuán
very deep
有点玄yóu diǎn xuán
a little hard to understand
玄妙xuán miào
mysterious and profound
Similar words
深奥shēn ào: Profound in meaning, requiring study and reflection for full understanding.
抽象chōu xiàng: Abstract rather than concrete, making the ideas or expression hard to grasp.
难懂nán dǒng: Hard to understand because the words or content are not immediately clear.
晦涩huì sè: Obscure in wording or expression, making the intended meaning difficult to work out.
Definition in Chinese
含义深奥、难以理解，也指带有神秘色彩的事物。hán yì shēn ào nán yǐ lí jiě yě zhǐ dài yǒu shén mì sè cǎi de shì wù
Word origin
The early sense of 玄 (xuán, "dark") described a deep, dark color, and this association with obscurity led to its meanings of profoundness and mystery.
Usage tips
- The word can describe an explanation, belief, or subject without confirming that it is correct, which makes it useful for expressing uncertainty rather than simple admiration.
Other meanings
- mysteriousadjective
- hard to understandadjective
Opposites
- 浅显qián xiǎnplain and easy to understandadjective
Related words
- 玄学xuán xuémetaphysicsnoun
- 玄妙xuán miàomysterious and profoundadjective