Pinyin Syllable

Chinese characters pronounced xiang

Learn common Chinese characters pronounced xiang, including 想 xiǎng, 向 xiàng, 相 xiāng / xiàng, 像 xiàng, 象 xiàng. Compare tones, meanings, traditional forms…

How to Pronounce This Syllable

To say xiang, lead with the forward, palatal x, slide into iang, and place the tone on top — one smooth piece.

Initial x

A light, forward hissing sound.

Final iang

Settle the final iang into a steady mouth shape first, then lay the tone on top.

Study Tip

Start with the most common characters (想 xiǎng, 向 xiàng, 相 xiāng / xiàng, 像 xiàng, 象 xiàng) and lock in their tones. 18 common characters share the sound xiang, so lean on words to tell the rest apart.

Learn by Tone

xiang turns up here with 4 different tones; a change of tone usually means a different character, so the groups below are split by tone.

1st tone

Taking the 1st tone here: 相, 香, 乡… (6 in total). Lock this tone in your ear before the meaning.

相xiāng / xiàngeach other; one another; mutually; appearance; portrait; picture 香xiāngfragrant; incense; (of food) savory; appetizing; sweet; scented 乡xiāngcountry; village 箱xiāngbox; trunk; chest 湘xiāngname of a river 厢xiāngbox (in theater); side room

2nd tone

Taking the 2nd tone here: 详, 祥, 翔 (3 in total). Lock this tone in your ear before the meaning.

详xiángdetailed; comprehensive 祥xiángauspicious; propitious 翔xiángsoar

3rd tone

Taking the 3rd tone here: 想, 响, 享 (3 in total). Lock this tone in your ear before the meaning.

想xiǎngto think; to believe; to suppose; to wish; to want; to miss 响xiǎngto make a sound; to sound; to ring; (a measure word for sound); loud 享xiǎngenjoy

4th tone

Taking the 4th tone here: 向, 像, 象… (6 in total). Lock this tone in your ear before the meaning.

向xiàngdirection; part; side; towards; to; guide 像xiàng(look) like; similar (to); appearance; to appear; to seem; image 象xiàngshape; form; appearance; elephant; image under a map (math.)项xiàng(surname); back of neck; item; thing 降jiàng / xiángto drop; to fall; to come down; to descend; surrender 巷xiànglane; alley

Common Words With This Sound

Seeing xiang inside whole words makes it clear which character is meant — here are common ones.

想到xiǎng dàoto think of; to call to mind; to anticipate 想法xiǎng fǎway of thinking; opinion; notion; to think of a way (to do sth)想起xiǎng qǐto recall; to think of; to call to mind 方向fāng xiàngdirection; orientation 向前xiàng qiánforward; onward 一向yī xiànga period of time in the recent past; (indicating a period of time up to the present) all along; the whole time 相信xiāng xìnto believe; to be convinced; to accept as true 相同xiāng tóngidentical; same 相机xiàng jīcamera; at the opportune moment; as the circumstances allow 好像hǎo xiàngas if; to seem like

Characters

18 common characters in this group.

Character#1 想 xiǎngto think; to believe; to suppose; to wish; to want; to missTraditional: 想 Character#2 向 xiàngdirection; part; side; towards; to; guideTraditional: 向 Character#3 相 xiāng / xiàngeach other; one another; mutually; appearance; portrait; pictureTraditional: 相 Character#4 像 xiàng(look) like; similar (to); appearance; to appear; to seem; imageTraditional: 像 Character#5 象 xiàngshape; form; appearance; elephant; image under a map (math.)Traditional: 象 Character#6 响 xiǎngto make a sound; to sound; to ring; (a measure word for sound); loudTraditional: 響 Character#7 项 xiàng(surname); back of neck; item; thingTraditional: 項 Character#8 降 jiàng / xiángto drop; to fall; to come down; to descend; surrenderTraditional: 降 Character#9 香 xiāngfragrant; incense; (of food) savory; appetizing; sweet; scentedTraditional: 香 Character#10 乡 xiāngcountry; villageTraditional: 鄉 Character#11 享 xiǎngenjoyTraditional: 享 Character#12 详 xiángdetailed; comprehensiveTraditional: 詳 Character#13 箱 xiāngbox; trunk; chestTraditional: 箱 Character#14 祥 xiángauspicious; propitiousTraditional: 祥 Character#15 翔 xiángsoarTraditional: 翔 Character#16 湘 xiāngname of a riverTraditional: 湘 Character#17 巷 xiànglane; alleyTraditional: 巷 Character#18 厢 xiāngbox (in theater); side roomTraditional: 廂