English

Proper noun

Xian

1. (sometimes proscribed) Alternative form of Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi, China.

Etymology 2

From X as a stand-in for Ancient Greek Χ ‎(Kh) as an initial representing Χριστος ‎(Khristos, “Christ, the Anointed One”), q.v. In present use, a modern coinage after the model of Xmas.

Alternative forms

• xian

Noun

Xian ‎(plural Xians)

1. (sometimes pejorative or offensive) Abbreviation of Christian.

Adjective

Xian ‎(not comparable)

1. (sometimes pejorative or offensive) Abbreviation of Christian.

Usage note

Although there is nothing offensive in the derivation of the term itself, its informal nature and use among skeptics and atheists sometimes makes the form seem dismissive or offensive to Christians.

Related terms

• Xmas
• Xianity, Xtianity

References

• What does 'xian' mean?

English

Alternative forms

• (archaic): hsien

Noun

xian ‎(plural xians)

1. (China) An administrative subdivision of imperial, republican, and communist China roughly equivalent to counties, now distinguished from the more urban "districts" (qu).

Synonyms

• county

Etymology 2

An alternative capitalization of Xian.

Noun

xian ‎(plural xians)

1. (sometimes pejorative or offensive) Alternative form of Xian: Christian.

Adjective

xian ‎(not comparable)

1. (sometimes pejorative or offensive) Alternative form of Xian: Christian.
   • 1993, Emerson, Mary Moody, Simmons, Nancy Craig, editor, The Selected Letters of Mary Moody Emerson, Athens: University of Georgia Press, page 242:

     But what an epoch in the xian world—what a time for a xian Orator to make a deep & eternal impression on socity^[sic].

References

• What does 'xian' mean?

Mandarin

Romanization

xian

1. Nonstandard spelling of xiān.
2. Nonstandard spelling of xián.
3. Nonstandard spelling of xiǎn.
4. Nonstandard spelling of xiàn.

Usage notes

• English transcriptions of Mandarin speech often fail to distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without the appropriate indication of tone.