福 Fortune in Chinese (fú)

Dictionary Summary

福 (fú) means good fortune; happiness; luck. Simplified form has 13 strokes under radical 礻.

Pinyin & Tonefú (Tone 2)

Simplified / Trad.福 / 福

Radical礻

Total Strokes13 strokes

StructureLeft–Right (礻 + 畐)

Unicode / LevelU+798F · HSK 3

Native Naming & Tattoo Safety Review

🪪 Using “福” in a Chinese Name · Use with Caution (Masculine-leaning)

Although beloved on Lunar New Year door banners, 福 in a person's given name (like 来福 or 富贵) sounds strongly old-fashioned or even pet-like in modern China. Use 瑞, 泽, or 康 instead!

✒️ Using “福” for a Tattoo · Safe & Classic

The iconic Chinese blessing character—immediately recognizable, auspicious, and deeply loved in traditional art and seals.

Character Etymology & CC-CEDICT Meanings

Origin & Visual Logic: Altar/blessing radical (礻) beside a full jar of abundance (畐): spiritual grace and abundant well-being.

Traditional / Simplified	Pinyin	CC-CEDICT Definitions
福 / 福	fú	good fortune; happiness; luck
福 / 福	Fú	surname Fu

Lexical entries derived from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Make Me a Hanzi (APL / LGPL-3.0).

Common Words & Idioms Using “福”

Chinese Word	Pinyin	English Meaning
幸福	xìngfú	happiness and well-being
祝福	zhùfú	to bless; good wishes
福气	fúqi	good fortune; blessing

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does the Chinese character "福" (fú) have?

"福" has 13 strokes in Simplified Chinese. Its primary dictionary radical is 礻, and you can animate or practice writing every stroke in order using the interactive grid on this page.

Is "福" good to use in a real Chinese name?

Rating: Use with Caution (Masculine-leaning). Although beloved on Lunar New Year door banners, 福 in a person's given name (like 来福 or 富贵) sounds strongly old-fashioned or even pet-like in modern China. Use 瑞, 泽, or 康 instead!

Is "福" safe as a Chinese character tattoo?

Tattoo rating: Safe & Classic. The iconic Chinese blessing character—immediately recognizable, auspicious, and deeply loved in traditional art and seals.