Meaning
信
xìn
Faith, trust
- 信
- faith, trust
A single character for faith and trust in the broadest sense.
Faith in Chinese
The Chinese word for faith is 信 (xìn). A single character for faith and trust in the broadest sense.
信
xìn
Faith
What 信 means.
信 is made of “person” (亻) and “word” (言): a person who stands by their word. It means trust and faith, and also a letter. 信念 is a personal conviction and 信仰 is religious faith.
- 信
- faith, trust
Simplified and traditional
信
信
信 is written the same way in simplified and traditional Chinese, so every Chinese reader recognises it.
Pick the shade of meaning.
Chinese often has more than one word where English has one. Here is how they differ.
Meaning
信念
xìn niàn
Belief, conviction
- 信
- faith, trust
- 念
- thought, idea
Faith as inner conviction, not tied to religion.
Meaning
信仰
xìn yǎng
Religious faith
- 信
- faith, trust
- 仰
- to look up to, revere
Faith in the religious sense, as in faith in God.
About faith in Chinese
How do you write faith in Chinese?
Faith is 信 in Chinese, pronounced xìn. Faith, trust
How do you pronounce 信?
Say xìn (fourth tone, falling). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 信 different in traditional Chinese?
No. 信 is written the same way in simplified and traditional Chinese.
What other Chinese words mean faith?
信念 (xìn niàn): Belief, conviction Faith as inner conviction, not tied to religion. 信仰 (xìn yǎng): Religious faith Faith in the religious sense, as in faith in God.
Is 信 a good Chinese tattoo?
Yes, it is a real, everyday Chinese word rather than a machine translation, so Chinese readers will understand it. As a single character it works even at small sizes. Choose a readable style such as Kaishu, bring a clean reference to your artist, and show it to a fluent reader before your appointment.