悬 xuán to hang
to hang; to hoist; to suspend; unresolved
How to remember 悬: 县 county + 心 heart = to hang. At the county fair, a boy with a paper heart climbs a ladder to hang it above the stage.
Component breakdown
悬 = 县 county + 心 heart
- 县 county
- 心 heart
At the county fair, a boy with a paper heart climbs a ladder to hang it above the stage.
How it is used
- To hang/be suspended, and by extension unresolved or far apart: 悬挂 (xuánguà) to hang up, 悬念 (xuánniàn) suspense (in a story), 悬案 (xuán'àn) an unsolved case.
- 悬殊 (xuánshū) = vastly disparate: 实力悬殊 (shílì xuánshū) a huge gap in strength.
- 悬崖勒马 (xuányá-lèmǎ) = to pull back at the brink.