忠 Loyalty in Chinese (zhōng)

Dictionary Summary

忠 (zhōng) means loyal; devoted; faithful. Simplified form has 8 strokes under radical 心.

Pinyin & Tonezhōng (Tone 1)

Simplified / Trad.忠 / 忠

Radical心

Total Strokes8 strokes

StructureTop–Bottom (中 + 心)

Unicode / LevelU+5FE0 · HSK 5-6

Native Naming & Tattoo Safety Review

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

Carries strong traditional duty and devotion, which can feel rather serious or old-school in modern urban names (similar to 忠国). Prefer 诚 or 信 for everyday warmth.

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

Classic warrior/chivalric character symbolizing unwavering loyalty and uprightness of heart.

Character Etymology & CC-CEDICT Meanings

Origin & Visual Logic: Center/middle (中) resting directly over heart (心): keeping one's heart centered and true.

Traditional / Simplified	Pinyin	CC-CEDICT Definitions
忠 / 忠	zhōng	loyal; devoted; faithful

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

Common Words & Idioms Using “忠”

Chinese Word	Pinyin	English Meaning
忠诚	zhōngchéng	loyal and faithful
忠实	zhōngshí	true and devoted
尽忠	jìnzhōng	to show utmost loyalty

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does the Chinese character "忠" (zhōng) have?

"忠" has 8 strokes in Simplified Chinese. Its primary dictionary radical is 心, and you can animate or practice writing every stroke in order using the interactive grid on this page.

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

Rating: Use with Caution (Masculine-leaning). Carries strong traditional duty and devotion, which can feel rather serious or old-school in modern urban names (similar to 忠国). Prefer 诚 or 信 for everyday warmth.