How many strokes does the Chinese character "信" (xìn) have?
"信" has 9 strokes in Simplified Chinese. Its primary dictionary radical is 亻, and you can animate or practice writing every stroke in order using the interactive grid on this page.
Ready · 9 strokes
Speed:
Virtues & Core Values
Name: Good with Pairing
Tattoo: Better in a Phrase
信 Trust in Chinese (xìn)
Dictionary Summary
信 (xìn) means letter; mail; CL:封[feng1]. Simplified form has 9 strokes under radical 亻.
Pinyin & Tonexìn (Tone 4)
Simplified / Trad.信 / 信
Radical亻
Total Strokes9 strokes
StructureLeft–Right (亻 + 言)
Unicode / LevelU+4FE1 · HSK 2
Native Naming & Tattoo Safety Review
🪪 Using “信” in a Chinese Name · Good with Pairing (Masculine-leaning)
Represents trustworthiness and keeping one's word. Works best in literary male names (e.g., 守信, 信然); standalone it can read like 'letter/mail' in everyday speech.
✒️ Using “信” for a Tattoo · Better in a Phrase
Because 信 also simply means 'a letter' or 'message' in modern Mandarin, tattooing it alone can feel ambiguous unless styled with clear seal context or paired as 信念 (faith/conviction).
Character Etymology & CC-CEDICT Meanings
Origin & Visual Logic: Combines person (亻) and speech/word (言): a person standing firmly by their spoken word.
| Traditional / Simplified | Pinyin | CC-CEDICT Definitions |
|---|---|---|
| 信 / 信 | xìn | letter; mail; CL:封[feng1] |
Lexical entries derived from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Make Me a Hanzi (APL / LGPL-3.0).
Common Words & Idioms Using “信”
| Chinese Word | Pinyin | English Meaning | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 信任 | xìnrèn | to trust | |
| 信念 | xìnniàn | faith and conviction | |
| 自信 | zìxìn | self-confidence |
English Names Using “信” in Our Curated Recommendations
See how native speakers pair 信 (xìn) into modern Chinese names:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is "信" good to use in a real Chinese name?
Rating: Good with Pairing (Masculine-leaning). Represents trustworthiness and keeping one's word. Works best in literary male names (e.g., 守信, 信然); standalone it can read like 'letter/mail' in everyday speech.
Is "信" safe as a Chinese character tattoo?
Tattoo rating: Better in a Phrase. Because 信 also simply means 'a letter' or 'message' in modern Mandarin, tattooing it alone can feel ambiguous unless styled with clear seal context or paired as 信念 (faith/conviction).