线 xiàn — thread; string; wire; line
请沿着这条线剪开。Qǐng yán zhe zhè tiáo xiàn jiǎn kāi.Please cut along this line.
Common words: 路线 (lù xiàn)、线索 (xiàn suǒ)、线路 (xiàn lù)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "line"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "line", including 线 (xiàn), 纹 (wén). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words, and examples.
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "line" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 线 (xiàn), 纹 (wén) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span xiàn, wén — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 线 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 线 xiànthread; string; wire; lineUseful words: 路线, 线索
- 纹 wénline; trace; markUseful words: 皱纹, 斑纹
Common words for these 2 "line" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 线 (xiàn) — so "line" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "line".
纹 wén — line; trace; mark
这块石头上有美丽的花纹。Zhè kuài shí tou shàng yǒu měi lì de huā wén.There are beautiful patterns on this stone.
Common words: 皱纹 (zhòu wén)、斑纹 (bān wén)、花纹 (huā wén)
All 2 characters
Open 线、纹 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.