Meaning
太阳
tài yáng
Sun
- 太
- great, supreme
- 阳
- the sun, yang
The everyday word for the sun; clearer than 日 on its own.
Sun in Chinese
The Chinese word for sun is 太阳 (tài yáng). The everyday word for the sun; clearer than 日 on its own. In traditional characters it is written 太陽.
太阳
tài yáng
Sun
What 太阳 means.
太阳 is the everyday word for the sun. 日 is the classical character, a circle with a dot in the oldest writing, and it also means day.
- 太
- great, supreme
- 阳
- the sun, yang
Simplified and traditional
太阳
太陽
Both are correct and mean the same. Traditional 太陽 keeps the older, fuller shape that calligraphy grew up with; simplified 太阳 is what most Chinese readers use today. Our seal and clerical styles write it in the traditional form.
Pick the shade of meaning.
Chinese often has more than one word where English has one. Here is how they differ.
Meaning
日
rì
Sun, day
- 日
- sun, day
The ancient single character for the sun; also means day.
About sun in Chinese
How do you write sun in Chinese?
Sun is 太阳 in Chinese, pronounced tài yáng. Sun 太 means “great, supreme”, 阳 means “the sun, yang”.
How do you pronounce 太阳?
Say tài (fourth tone, falling), yáng (second tone, rising). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 太阳 different in traditional Chinese?
Yes. The traditional form is 太陽, used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and classical calligraphy; 太阳 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore. Both are correct.
What other Chinese words mean sun?
日 (rì): Sun, day The ancient single character for the sun; also means day.
Is 太阳 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.