嫺 (xián) - Elegant, refined, graceful & leisurely, unhurried

嫺Tone 2

xián ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

嫺 · xián

Elegant, refined, graceful;

leisurely, unhurried;

skilled, proficient.

Elegant, refined, gracefulleisurely, unhurriedskilled, proficient.

Usage highlights

Elegant and refinedSkilled and proficientQuiet and gracefulElegant demeanorWellGraceful and virtuous

Synonyms

  • 雅— elegant, refined
  • 淑— virtuous, kind
  • 静— quiet, calm

Antonyms

  • 粗— coarse, rough
  • 俗— vulgar, common
  • 躁— impatient, restless

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She has an elegant demeanor (举止娴雅).
  • He is skilled in calligraphy (娴于书法).
  • They led a leisurely life (生活娴静).

Collocations

  • Elegant and refined(娴雅)
  • Skilled and proficient(娴熟)
  • Quiet and graceful(娴静)
  • Elegant demeanor(娴仪)
  • Well-versed in(娴于)
  • Graceful and virtuous(娴淑)

Idioms

  • Elegant and graceful demeanor(举止娴雅)
  • Skilled and proficient in technique(技艺娴熟)
  • Quiet and refined temperament(性情娴静)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Traditionally used to describe the ideal feminine virtues of grace, refinement, and quiet dignity in classical Chinese culture.
  • Often appears in literary descriptions of cultivated women from scholarly or aristocratic families.
  • The character embodies classical Chinese aesthetic ideals of understated elegance and inner cultivation.

FAQ