Meaning
团结
tuán jié
Unity
- 团
- group, round
- 结
- to tie, unite
Coming together as one: the everyday word.
Unity in Chinese
The Chinese word for unity is 团结 (tuán jié). Coming together as one: the everyday word. In traditional characters it is written 團結.
团结
tuán jié
Unity
What 团结 means.
团 is a group gathered round and 结 is to tie together. 同心 is “one heart”: the Book of Changes says 二人同心，其利断金, when two are of one heart, their strength can cut through metal.
- 团
- group, round
- 结
- to tie, unite
Simplified and traditional
团结
團結
Both are correct and mean the same. Traditional 團結 keeps the older, fuller shape that calligraphy grew up with; simplified 团结 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
同心
tóng xīn
Of one heart
- 同
- same, together
- 心
- heart
Two hearts as one, as in the saying 同心协力.
About unity in Chinese
How do you write unity in Chinese?
Unity is 团结 in Chinese, pronounced tuán jié. Unity 团 means “group, round”, 结 means “to tie, unite”.
How do you pronounce 团结?
Say tuán (second tone, rising), jié (second tone, rising). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 团结 different in traditional Chinese?
Yes. The traditional form is 團結, used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and classical calligraphy; 团结 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore. Both are correct.
What other Chinese words mean unity?
同心 (tóng xīn): Of one heart Two hearts as one, as in the saying 同心协力.
Is 团结 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.