Good Characters, a California-based consultancy specializing in Chinese naming, has named 險 (xiǎn, pronounced shee-en) as the Chinese Character of

Good Characters Announces the Chinese Character of the Year 2024: 險 (xiǎn)

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2024-12-02 20:30:07

Good Characters, a California-based consultancy specializing in Chinese naming, has named 險 (xiǎn, pronounced shee-en) as the Chinese Character of the Year for 2024. PDF Slides YouTube

險 embodies interconnected meanings—risk, challenge, precariousness, danger, and close calls, such as narrowly avoiding disaster. This multifaceted character perfectly captures the defining events of 2024—a year shaped by political divides, monumental challenges, brushes with catastrophe, and global instability. Here’s how 險 reflects the critical moments of 2024:

險 highlights the uncertainty where outcomes teeter between win and lose, progress and regression. The deeply polarized 2024 U.S. presidential election exemplified this precarious state. Each side viewed the other as an existential threat, creating a climate of 險境 (xiǎn jìng, pronounced shee-en jeeng), or perilous territory. These divisions intensified political distrust, exposing the fragility of the nation’s unity.

The character 險 also symbolizes steep and precarious challenges, as in 險阻 (xiǎn zǔ, pronounced shee-en zoo), or steep obstacles. President Donald Trump’s political resurgence was marked by formidable hurdles—legal battles, intense public scrutiny, and widespread skepticism. Despite these overwhelming odds, he won the election.