(xuàn) — dazzling, bright (bound form); to show off, to flaunt (bound form)

Definition

炫 is a bound form almost always paired with another character (耀眼, 炫耀, 炫丽). "Dazzling" collocates with 丽/目/耀; "show off" with 耀/富.

bound form
dazzlingbright (bound form)to show offto flaunt (bound form)

Examples

  • Wǔ tái shàng de dēng guāng fēi cháng xuàn mù.
    The lights on stage are very dazzling.
  • Tā zǒng ài zài shè jiāo méi tǐ shàng xuàn fù.
    He always likes to flaunt his wealth on social media.
  • Zhè fú huà de sè cǎi shí fēn xuàn lì.
    The colors of this painting are very gorgeous.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
xuánxuàn
Same sound today

炫 is built from 火 and 玄. The 火 part is the meaning part, and 玄 gives the sound.

Appears in

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.