Name in InkWrite 命运

Destiny in Chinese

The Chinese word for destiny is 命运 (mìng yùn). The standard word for one's personal destiny. In traditional characters it is written 命運.

Write 命运 in calligraphyPreview it as a tattoo
命运

mìng yùn

Destiny

Meaning

What 命运 means.

命 is life or fate and 运 is fortune, so 命运 is fate as the course of a life. 缘分 is a different idea: the bond that brings two people together, the kind of fate behind a meeting or a love story.

命
mìnglife, fate
运
yùnfortune, luck

Simplified and traditional

命运

SimplifiedMainland China, Singapore

命運

TraditionalTaiwan, Hong Kong, classical art

Both are correct and mean the same. Traditional 命運 keeps the older, fuller shape that calligraphy grew up with; simplified 命运 is what most Chinese readers use today. Our seal and clerical styles write it in the traditional form.

2 ways to write destiny

Pick the shade of meaning.

Chinese often has more than one word where English has one. Here is how they differ.

MeaningRecommended
命运

mìng yùn

Destiny, fate

命
mìnglife, fate
运
yùnfortune, luck

The standard word for one's personal destiny.

Meaning
缘分

yuán fèn

A fated bond between people

缘
yuánfated connection
分
fènshare, portion

Not personal destiny: 缘分 is the fate that brings two people together.

Brush styles

命运 in seven styles.

From calm regular script to fast cursive. Open the generator to choose ink and paper and download a free preview.

About destiny in Chinese

How do you write destiny in Chinese?

Destiny is 命运 in Chinese, pronounced mìng yùn. Destiny, fate 命 means “life, fate”, 运 means “fortune, luck”.

How do you pronounce 命运?

Say mìng (fourth tone, falling), yùn (fourth tone, falling). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.

Is 命运 different in traditional Chinese?

Yes. The traditional form is 命運, used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and classical calligraphy; 命运 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore. Both are correct.

What other Chinese words mean destiny?

缘分 (yuán fèn): A fated bond between people Not personal destiny: 缘分 is the fate that brings two people together.

Is 命运 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.