弦

• Pinyin: xián
• Hanzi breakdown: 弦 = 弓 + 糸 (bow + thread — a string stretched across a bow)

Meaning

String; chord; bowstring. Refers to the taut string of a musical instrument, a bow, or mathematically, the chord of a circle or arc.

In music: the strings of instruments such as 二胡, pipa, guqin, violin, or guitar. In archery: the bowstring. In mathematics: the chord of a circle (弦长 = chord length). Also used metaphorically: 动人心弦 (to tug at the heartstrings), 绷紧每一根弦 (to keep every nerve taut — to stay highly alert). A word rich in both technical and literary resonance.

Examples

1. 她轻拨古琴的弦，悠扬的音色在空旷的厅堂中缓缓回荡，令人不觉沉醉其中。 She lightly plucked the guqin strings, and the mellow sound slowly echoed through the empty hall, leaving everyone quietly absorbed.
2. 这首协奏曲中弦乐部分的演奏极为精妙，展现了作曲家对弦乐器表现力的深刻理解。 The string section in this concerto is exquisitely performed, showing the composer’s deep understanding of what string instruments can express.
3. 他的一番话深深地拨动了在场每个人心中最柔软的那根弦，全场陷入了短暂的沉默。 His words struck the most tender string in everyone’s heart, and the whole room fell into a brief silence.

Usage Guide

Context: music, mathematics, literature, metaphor

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这位演奏家对二胡弦的张力控制已炉火纯青，仅凭触弦力度和运弓速度就能奏出丰富情感。(This performer controls the tension of the erhu strings with great skill, and can express rich emotion through finger pressure and bow speed alone.)
• 在古典文论里，以弦乐意象寄情是中国诗歌的重要传统，弦音常象征情绪起伏、志向伸缩和人生际遇。(In classical literary criticism, using string imagery to express feelings is an important tradition in Chinese poetry, and string sounds often symbolize emotional changes, shifting ambitions, and life encounters.)

Don't Say

• 弦 as a general word for 'rope' or 'line' — 弦 specifically refers to musical strings, bowstrings, or mathematical chords; use 绳 or 线 for rope and line in general contexts

Origin & History

弦 = 弓 (bow) + 糸 (thread/string) — a thread stretched across a bow, forming a string

Cultural Context

Era: Classical to present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal