线

• Pinyin: xiàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 线 = 纟 (silk radical) + 戋 (phonetic component, simplified)

Meaning

Line; thread; wire. A thin continuous mark, strand, or connection.

Versatile noun used in many contexts: physical thread or string (毛线 wool yarn), drawn lines (画线 draw a line), routes or connections (路线 route, 电话线 phone line), and figurative boundaries or clues (底线 bottom line). Also used as a measure word for abstract concepts like hope (一线希望).

Examples

1. 请沿着这条线走到出口。 Please walk along this line to the exit.
2. 妈妈用线把扣子缝上了。 Mom sewed the button on with thread.
3. 地铁一号线每天都很多人。 Metro Line 1 is always crowded every day.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, transportation, crafts

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你坐几号线？(Which line do you take?)
• 请在这条线后面排队。(Please queue behind this line.)

Don't Say

• 我画了一个线。(Use 条 as the measure word for 线 — say 一条线, not 一个线.)

Origin & History

线 is the simplified form of 綫. The radical 纟 (silk) relates to thread, and 戋 is the phonetic component. Originally referred to silk threads.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal