娴

嫺/嫻

xián

女 + 闲

Definitions

xián variant of 嫻|娴[xián]

xián elegant; refined; to be skilled at

Etymology phono-semantic

woman

Semantic: 女 Phonetic: 闲

About

娴 is a phono-semantic compound: the woman radical 女 on the left hints at feminine qualities, while the phonetic 闲 on the right supplies the sound. Its traditional forms 嫻 and 嫺 use the phonetic components 閒 or 閑, both meaning leisure or being unoccupied. The character primarily denotes elegance, refinement, and tranquility, describing a gentle, cultured demeanor. It also conveys skillfulness, a graceful proficiency that makes tasks appear effortless.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

她的性格很娴静。

Tā de xìnggé hěn xiánjìng.

Her personality is very gentle and quiet.

姐姐的舞姿很娴熟。

Jiějie de wǔzī hěn xiánshú.

My sister's dance moves are very proficient.

他娴熟地掌握了这项技能。

Tā xiánshú de zhǎngwò le zhè xiàng jìnéng.

He has mastered this skill proficiently.

这位女士举止娴雅，给人留下深刻印象。

Zhè wèi nǚshì jǔzhǐ xiányǎ, gěi rén liúxià shēnkè yìnxiàng.

This lady's demeanor is elegant and leaves a deep impression.

经过长期练习，她操作机器非常娴熟。

Jīngguò chángqī liànxí, tā cāozuò jīqì fēicháng xiánshú.

After long-term practice, she operates the machine very proficiently.

在嘈杂的环境中，她依然保持着娴静的心态。

Zài cáozá de huánjìng zhōng, tā yīrán bǎochízhe xiánjìng de xīntài.

In a noisy environment, she still maintains a calm and quiet mindset.

他的书法笔法娴熟，线条流畅自然。

Tā de shūfǎ bǐfǎ xiánshú, xiàntiáo liúchàng zìrán.

His calligraphy brushwork is proficient, with smooth and natural lines.

作为一名资深翻译，她能够娴熟地运用多种语言进行交流。

Zuòwéi yī míng zīshēn fānyì, tā nénggòu xiánshú de yùnyòng duō zhǒng yǔyán jìnxíng jiāoliú.

As a senior translator, she can proficiently use multiple languages for communication.

Related Characters

Component: 女

Component: 闲

娴