How to Say
How to Write
xiān
Radical: 气 7 strokes
Meaning: xenon
💡 A gas from the mountains (山) of the periodic table: xenon.
Compounds

📚 Character Story & Explanation

氙 (xiān) meaning in English —

氙 (xiān) is a modern chemical character coined in the 20th century, combining the radical 气 (gas) with the phonetic 山 (shān). It specifically refers to xenon, a noble gas discovered in 1898. Unlike ancient characters, 氙 was created to transliterate scientific terms, reflecting China's adaptation to modern chemistry. Its usage is confined to scientific contexts, symbolizing the sinicization of global knowledge.

💬 Example Sentences

Common Compounds

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