Chinese name character
Chinese name character 贤
xián
Traditional: 賢
The character 贤 (Mandarin xián) appears in 8 names and 5 syllables in this reference and is spelled Xian, Hian, Yin, Hean and Hiang in Malaysia. Recorded meanings include “virtuous; wise; worthy” and “virtuous; wise; able”.
- Names and syllables
- 13
- Malaysian spellings
- 7
- Strokes
- 8
- Attested in records
- 10
13 names and syllables in this reference have 贤 as one of their character options. For 10 of them, 贤 is attested in records of real names; the rest are possible characters for that spelling.
Meanings of 贤: the recorded options
virtuous; wise; worthy
in 13 character options · attested
virtuous; wise; able
in 2 character options · attested
Unihan definition: virtuous, worthy, good; able
What a name means depends on the characters the family chose and how they combine; these are options, not one definite meaning.
Malaysian spellings of 贤
| Spelling | Romanization |
|---|---|
| Xian | Mandarin |
| Hian | Hokkien |
| Yin | Cantonese |
| Hean | Hokkien |
| Hiang | Teochew |
| Shyan | romanization not stated |
| Sian | romanization not stated |
Readings of 贤 by dialect
Readings from the character options in our name records; Unihan gives Mandarin xián and Cantonese jin4.
8 names that can be written with 贤
5 syllables that can stand for 贤
Sources
- MDBG: 贤 · mdbg.net · meaning
- Wiktionary: 贤 · en.wiktionary.org · meaning
- Unicode Unihan Database: U+8D24 · unicode.org · meaning
Readings, meanings and stroke count: the character options in our name records and the Unicode Unihan Database (Unicode License). A spelling describes how a name is written, not anyone’s dialect or background.
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Frequently asked questions
What does 贤 mean in a name?
Our records give several meanings for 贤, including “virtuous; wise; worthy” and “virtuous; wise; able”. What a name actually means depends on the characters the family chose and how they combine.
How is 贤 spelled in Malaysia?
In our records 贤 is spelled Xian (Mandarin), Hian (Hokkien), Yin (Cantonese), Hean (Hokkien), Hiang (Teochew), Shyan and Sian. A spelling follows a dialect’s romanization; it does not show which dialect anyone speaks.
Is every Xian written 贤?
Not necessarily. The spelling Xian can also stand for 显, 仙, 先. Only the family knows which character was chosen.