Definitions

xián (adjective) idle; unoccupied; at leisure
xián (noun) free time; leisure

Etymology

A wooden fence with a door 

About

The character 闲, meaning leisure or idleness, is a simplified form that combines two distinct traditional characters: 閒 and 閑. The traditional 閒 features the enclosure 門 (door) around 月 (moon), originally depicting moonlight through a door gap to suggest space or free time. The traditional 閑 uses the same 門 enclosure but contains 木 (wood), deriving from a wooden barrier for confinement, which later extended to mean boundaries and then idleness. The modern 闲 follows the structure of 閑, with 木 inside 门, and now exclusively conveys notions of free time, being unoccupied, or casualness.

Example Sentences Hide

我今天很

Wǒ jīntiān hěn xián.

I am very free today.

他喜欢逛。

Tā xǐhuān xiánguàng.

He likes to stroll around.

我们在公园聊。

Wǒmen zài gōngyuán xiánliáo.

We chat in the park.

不要管别人的事。

Búyào guǎn biérén de xiánshì.

Don't meddle in other people's business.

她过着悠的生活。

Tā guòzhe yōuxián de shēnghuó.

She lives a leisurely life.

时间我喜欢看书。

Kòngxián shíjiān wǒ xǐhuān kànshū.

In my free time, I like to read books.

来无事常去钓鱼。

Tā xián lái wú shì cháng qù diàoyú.

When he has nothing to do, he often goes fishing.

他利用暇时间学习新技能。

Tā lìyòng xiánxiá shíjiān xuéxí xīn jìnéng.

He uses his leisure time to learn new skills.