仙 xiān god
god; fairy; immortal; transcendent
How to remember 仙: 亻 person + 山 mountain = god. The villagers say the old person living alone on the mountain never ages, and the kids whisper that he must be a god.
Component breakdown
仙 = 亻 person + 山 mountain
- 亻 person
- 山 mountain
The villagers say the old person living alone on the mountain never ages, and the kids whisper that he must be a god.
How it is used
- A Daoist immortal / transcendent being - 神仙 (shénxiān) an immortal, 仙女 (xiānnǚ) a fairy maiden.
- Used loosely for anything wondrous or ethereal - 仙境 (xiānjìng) a fairyland, 仙气 an otherworldly air.
- Cultural note: 仙 is the Daoist immortal, distinct from Western 'angel' (天使) or 'fairy' folklore.