仙

僊
xiān
亻 + 山

Definitions

xiān (noun) immortal; celestial being; transcendent
xiān (adjective) fairy-like; ethereal

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 山 represents the sound. Simplified form of 僊.

Semantic: 亻 Phonetic: 山

About

The character 仙 appears to join 亻 (person) and 山 (mountain), but etymologically it is a phonosemantic compound: 亻 indicates the meaning, and 山 (shān) provides the sound. It is a simplified form of 僊, where the person radical was combined with 䙴, a phonetic signifying upward movement or ascension. Replacing the complex 䙴 with the simpler 山 gave rise to the modern character, which refers to immortals, supernatural beings, and fairy-like figures in mythology and religious contexts.

Example Sentences Hide

她像一位仙女。

Tā xiàng yī wèi xiān nǚ.

She resembles a fairy.

这盆仙人掌开花了。

Zhè pén xiān rén zhǎng kāi huā le.

This pot of cactus has bloomed.

故事里住着一位老神仙。

Gù shi lǐ zhù zhe yī wèi lǎo shén xiān.

An old deity lives in the story.

这里风景优美宛如仙境。

Zhè lǐ fēng jǐng yōu měi wǎn rú xiān jìng.

The scenery here is so beautiful it's like a fairyland.

她身上有种不食人间烟火的仙气。

Tā shēn shàng yǒu zhǒng bù shí rén jiān yān huǒ de xiān qì.

She has an ethereal, otherworldly aura about her.

许多古代传说都描述了凡人修仙的故事。

Xǔ duō gǔ dài chuán shuō dōu miáo shù le fán rén xiū xiān de gù shi.

Many ancient legends describe stories of mortals cultivating immortality.

八仙过海是中国家喻户晓的神话故事。

Bā xiān guò hǎi shì zhōng guó jiā yù hù xiǎo de shén huà gù shi.

"The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" is a well-known Chinese myth.

这座古镇依山傍水，云雾缭绕，颇有仙山楼阁的意境。

Zhè zuò gǔ zhèn yī shān bàng shuǐ, yún wù liáo rào, pō yǒu xiān shān lóu gé de yì jìng.

This ancient town, nestled between mountains and rivers with swirling mist, evokes the artistic conception of celestial mountains and pavilions.

Related Characters

Component: 亻

他 们 你 作 但 使 体 什 代 信 化 位 任 何

Component: 山

山 密 岁 岛 岸 岩 峰 崇 幽 岂 峡 岗 岳 崩

Example Words

神仙 仙人 仙人掌 仙人球 仙境 仙女 仙子 仙界 仙草 八仙 大仙 成仙 水仙 水仙花 仙丹 仙去 仙台 仙后座 仙女座 仙姑 仙客来 仙宫 仙居 仙居县