Confidence in Chinese
The Chinese word for confidence is 自信 (zì xìn). Literally “trusting yourself”: the everyday word for confidence.
zì xìn
Confidence
What 自信 means.
自 means self and 信 means trust, so 自信 is trust in yourself. 信 is made of 人 (person) and 言 (word): a person who stands by their word.
- 自
- self
- 信
- trust, belief
Simplified and traditional
自信
自信
自信 is written the same way in simplified and traditional Chinese, so every Chinese reader recognises it.
About confidence in Chinese
How do you write confidence in Chinese?
Confidence is 自信 in Chinese, pronounced zì xìn. Self-confidence 自 means “self”, 信 means “trust, belief”.
How do you pronounce 自信?
Say zì (fourth tone, falling), xìn (fourth tone, falling). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 自信 different in traditional Chinese?
No. 自信 is written the same way in simplified and traditional Chinese.
Is 自信 a good Chinese tattoo?
Yes, it is a real, everyday Chinese word rather than a machine translation, so Chinese readers will understand it. Keep the characters in their order, top to bottom or left to right, and never mirrored. Choose a readable style such as Kaishu, bring a clean reference to your artist, and show it to a fluent reader before your appointment.