毅 Resolute in Chinese (yì)

Dictionary Summary

毅 (yì) means firm and resolute; staunch. Simplified form has 15 strokes under radical 殳.

Pinyin & Toneyì (Tone 4)

Simplified / Trad.毅 / 毅

Radical殳

Total Strokes15 strokes

StructureLeft–Right (豙 + 殳)

Unicode / LevelU+6BC5 · HSK 5-6

Native Naming & Tattoo Safety Review

🪪 Using “毅” in a Chinese Name · Highly Recommended (Masculine-leaning)

The gold-standard modern Chinese character for masculine strength! Unlike 强 or 勇, 毅 (e.g., 毅然, 弘毅, 嘉毅, 泽毅) sounds educated, determined, and dignified.

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

Sophisticated, noble, and resolute—celebrated in Confucius's Analects (士不可以不弘毅).

Character Etymology & CC-CEDICT Meanings

Origin & Visual Logic: Combines fierce wild boar energy with striking action (殳): unshakable inner resolve.

Traditional / Simplified	Pinyin	CC-CEDICT Definitions
毅 / 毅	yì	firm and resolute; staunch

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

Common Words & Idioms Using “毅”

Chinese Word	Pinyin	English Meaning
毅力	yìlì	perseverance and grit
刚毅	gāngyì	steadfast and resolute
坚毅	jiānyì	firm and unyielding

English Names Using “毅” in Our Curated Recommendations

See how native speakers pair 毅 (yì) into modern Chinese names:

白雅毅Audrey (Bái Yǎ yì)李毅恒Liam (Lǐ Yì héng)王毅安William (Wáng Yì ān)李毅翔Leo (Lǐ Yì xiáng)易恒毅Ethan (Yì Héng yì)顾恒毅Gabriel (Gù Héng yì)王毅轩Wyatt (Wáng Yì xuān)罗恒毅Roman (Luó Héng yì)安毅恒Andrew (Ān Yì héng)王道毅Arthur (Wáng Dào yì)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does the Chinese character "毅" (yì) have?

"毅" has 15 strokes in Simplified Chinese. Its primary dictionary radical is 殳, and you can animate or practice writing every stroke in order using the interactive grid on this page.

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

Rating: Highly Recommended (Masculine-leaning). The gold-standard modern Chinese character for masculine strength! Unlike 强 or 勇, 毅 (e.g., 毅然, 弘毅, 嘉毅, 泽毅) sounds educated, determined, and dignified.