县 xiàn county

源How it came to be

A head hung upside down from a cord, in the full form. Heads of the executed hung where local government sat, giving the district its name. The hanging moved to another character.

用How it is used

• Administrative noun "county", the level below city/prefecture in China's system (省 province > 市 city > 县 county).
• Attaches after a place name in official addresses and news, e.g. XX县 "XX County" - a written/administrative term, not something used in casual chat unless discussing geography or government.

字Characters built with 县

• 悬 to hang