Chinese Conversation · Level 10
90 words
Chinese word
线
Pronunciation
Pinyinxiàn
Meaning
- nounline
Example
他在纸上画了一条线。tā zài zhǐ shàng huà le yì tiáo xiàn
He drew a line on the paper.
More examples
他把线剪断了。tā bǎ xiàn jiǎn duàn le
He cut the line.
Core concept
A thin mark or imagined edge that separates one side, area, or range from another.
Common phrases
一条线yì tiáo xiàn
a line
画线huà xiàn
draw a line
红色的线hóng sè de xiàn
red line
Similar words
边界biān jiè: A dividing boundary between two places, regions, or countries.
界限jiè xiàn: The outer limit of an allowed area, amount, or action.
分界线fēn jiè xiàn: A marked line used to separate two things or areas.
Definition in Chinese
表示事物之间界限或分隔的标志，既可指实物（如画在地面或纸上的线），也可指规则或范围上的抽象分界。biǎo shì shì wù zhī jiān jiè xiàn huò fēn gé de biāo zhì jì kě zhǐ shí wù rú huà zài dì miàn huò zhǐ shàng de xiàn yě kě zhǐ guī zé huò fàn wéi shàng de chōu xiàng fēn jiè
Word origin
The character 线 (xiàn, "line") keeps the thread radical, reflecting an original sense of a thin thread that broadened into a drawn or conceptual divider.
Usage tips
- English uses "line" for a queue, but Chinese normally uses a different expression for that situation, so the English word should not be transferred automatically.
Other meanings
- boundary linenoun
- ruled linenoun
Related words
- 电线diàn xiànelectric wirenoun
- 线路xiàn lùroutenoun
- 线条xiàn tiáostrokenoun