How to Say
How to Write
jiàn
Radical: 毛 12 strokes
Meaning: shuttlecock
💡 A feathered 'jian' (毽) is built like a tiny, kicking toy.
Compounds

📚 Character Story & Explanation

毽 (jiàn) meaning in English —

The character 毽 (jiàn) is composed of the radical 毛 (hair/fur) on the left, suggesting feathery material, and the phonetic component 建 (jiàn) on the right. It specifically refers to the shuttlecock, a weighted object with feathers used in the game of Chinese hacky sack (踢毽子). Historically, shuttlecocks were made from feathers and coins, and kicking them was a popular folk game dating back to the Han dynasty.

💬 Example Sentences

Common Compounds

Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up

🏠

Your First Step into Chinese Culture: Get a Chinese Name

Every journey into Chinese begins with a name. Use our free Chinese name generator to create a meaningful, personalized Chinese name that fits you perfectly.

Get My Chinese Name →

Related Characters