Ideographic: A place 阝 with a pit 臽; 臽 also provides the pronunciationRadical:

meaning for xiàn:

  • - pitfall
  • - trap
  • - to get stuck
  • - to sink
  • - to cave in
  • - to frame (false charge)
  • - to capture (a city in battle)
  • - to fall (to the enemy)
  • - defectto sink into
  • - to get caught up in
  • - to land in (a predicament)defect
  • - flaw
  • - physical defectpitfall
  • - snare
  • - trapcaught in (a bad situation)
  • - to fall into (trap etc)to entrap
  • - to set up
  • - to frame (up)
  • - to make false charges against