信

TranslingualEdit

Stroke order

Han characterEdit

信 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+7, 9 strokes, cangjie input 人卜一口 (OYMR), four-corner 2026₁, composition ⿰亻言)

Derived charactersEdit

㜃, 𧪄, 𭡩, 𬦿, 𰟁, 𬒘𠒷, 𦴩

ReferencesEdit

KangXi: page 105, character 25
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 707
Dae Jaweon: page 224, character 2
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 165, character 1
Unihan data for U+4FE1

ChineseEdit

Glyph originEdit

Historical forms of the character 信

**Small seal script**
s01702	s01703

**Transcribed ancient scripts**
L36438	L36439	L36440	L36441	L36442	L21999	L22000	L22001
L22002	L22003	L22004	L22005	L22006	L22007	L22008	L22009
L22010	L22011	L22012	L22013	L22014	L22015	L22016	L22017
L22018	L22019	L22020	L22021	L22022	L22023	L22024

References:

Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation),
which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including:

Shuowen Jiezi (small seal),
Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions),
Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and
Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Ideogrammic compound (會意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *hljins): phonetic 人 (OC *njin, “person”) + semantic 言 (“word”).

Etymology 1Edit

simp. and trad.		信
2nd round simp.		伩
alternative forms		㐰孞

Schuessler (2007) reconstructs the Old Chinese minimally as *sin and suggests possible derivation from 允 (OC *winʔ, “to trust; to be true”).

Alternatively, Sagart and Baxter (2012) reconstruct *s-niŋ-s (*s-ni[ŋ]-s in Baxter and Sagart, 2014) and suggest a derivation from 仁 (OC *niŋ, “kind”) with the prefix *s-, probably used to increase its valency.

PronunciationEdit

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): xìn (xin⁴)

(Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄣˋ

(Chengdu, SP): xin⁴

(Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): щин (xin, III)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): seon³

(Taishan, Wiktionary): lhin¹, lhin^1*
Gan (Wiktionary): xin⁴
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): sin

(Meixian, Guangdong): xin⁴
Jin (Wiktionary): xing³
Min Bei (KCR): se̿ng
Min Dong (BUC): séng
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): sìn / siàn

(Teochew, Peng'im): sing³ / sêng³ / siang³
Wu (Wiktionary): ²xin
Xiang (Wiktionary): sin⁴

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: xìn
  - Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄣˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: sìn
  - Wade–Giles: hsin⁴
  - Yale: syìn
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shinn
  - Palladius: синь (sinʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕin⁵¹/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: xin⁴
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xin
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕin²¹³/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic and Wiktionary: щин (xin, III)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕiŋ⁴⁴/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: seon³
  - Yale: seun
  - Cantonese Pinyin: soen³
  - Guangdong Romanization: sên³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɵn³³/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: lhin¹, lhin^1*
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɬin³³/, /ɬin³³⁻³³⁵/

Note: lhin1* - “letter”.

Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: xin⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕin³⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sin
  - Hakka Romanization System: xin
  - Hagfa Pinyim: xin⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /ɕin⁵⁵/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: xin⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /ɕin⁵³/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: xing³
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /ɕĩŋ⁴⁵/
Min Bei
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: se̿ng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /seiŋ³³/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: séng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɛiŋ²¹³/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sìn
  - Tâi-lô: sìn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: sixn
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung): /ɕin²¹/
  - IPA (Taipei): /ɕin¹¹/
  - IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /ɕin⁴¹/
- (Hokkien: variant in Taiwan)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siàn
  - Tâi-lô: siàn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: siexn
  - IPA (Taipei): /ɕiɛn¹¹/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɕiɛn²¹/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: sing³ / sêng³ / siang³
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: sìng / sèng / siàng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /siŋ²¹³/, /seŋ²¹³/, /siaŋ²¹³/

Note:

sing3/sêng3 - literary (sêng3 - Jieyang);
siang3 - vernacular.

Wu

(Shanghainese)
- Wiktionary: ²xin
- Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕɪɲ³⁴/

Xiang

(Changsha)
- Wiktionary: sin⁴
- Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /sin⁴⁵/
- Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /ɕin⁴⁵/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 信
Mandarin	Beijing	/ɕin⁵¹/
	Harbin	/ɕin⁵³/
	Tianjin	/ɕin⁵³/
	Jinan	/ɕiẽ²¹/
	Qingdao	/siə̃⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/sin³¹²/
	Xi'an	/ɕiẽ⁴⁴/
	Xining	/ɕiə̃²¹³/
	Yinchuan	/ɕiŋ¹³/
	Lanzhou	/ɕĩn¹³/
	Ürümqi	/ɕiŋ²¹³/
	Wuhan	/ɕin³⁵/
	Chengdu	/ɕin¹³/
	Guiyang	/ɕin²¹³/
	Kunming	/ɕĩ²¹²/
	Nanjing	/sin⁴⁴/
	Hefei	/ɕin⁵³/
Jin	Taiyuan	/ɕiəŋ⁴⁵/
	Pingyao	/ɕiŋ³⁵/
	Hohhot	/ɕĩŋ⁵⁵/
Wu	Shanghai	/ɕiŋ³⁵/
	Suzhou	/sin⁵¹³/
	Hangzhou	/ɕin⁴⁴⁵/
	Wenzhou	/saŋ⁴²/
Hui	Shexian	/siʌ̃³²⁴/
Hui	Tunxi	/sin⁴²/
Xiang	Changsha	/sin⁵⁵/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/sin⁵⁵/
Gan	Nanchang	/ɕin⁴⁵/
Hakka	Meixian	/sin⁵³/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/sin⁵⁵/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/søn³³/
	Nanning	/ɬɐn³³/
	Hong Kong	/søn³³/
Min	Xiamen (Min Nan)	/sin²¹/
	Fuzhou (Min Dong)	/sɛiŋ²¹²/
	Jian'ou (Min Bei)	/seiŋ³³/
	Shantou (Min Nan)	/siŋ²¹³/
	Haikou (Min Nan)	/tin³⁵/

Middle Chinese: /siɪn^H/

Rime
Character	信
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	心 (16)
Final (韻)	眞 (43)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	息晉切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/siɪn^H/
Pan Wuyun	/sin^H/
Shao Rongfen	/sjen^H/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/sin^H/
Li Rong	/siĕn^H/
Wang Li	/sĭĕn^H/
Bernard Karlgren	/si̯ĕn^H/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	xìn
Expected Cantonese Reflex	san³

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*s-ni[ŋ]-s/

(Zhengzhang): /*hljins/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	信
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	xìn
Middle Chinese	‹ sin^H ›
Old Chinese	/*s-ni[ŋ]-s/
English	truthful
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	信
Reading #	1/1
No.	13849
Phonetic component	信
Rime group	眞
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	信
Old Chinese	/*hljins/
Notes	金文或從人從口，本指操信符傳言之信使，故表可信，或從言身聲

DefinitionsEdit

信

true; accurate; verifiable
truly; indeed
- 信可樂也。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
  信可乐也。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]
  From: 353 CE, Wang Xizhi, Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion
  Xìn kě lè yě. [Pinyin]
  Truly, what an enjoyable occasion it was!
trustworthy
to believe; to trust in something
我才不信呢。 ― Wǒ cái bù xìn ne. ― I don't believe it/you.

信任 ― xìnrèn ― to trust
to believe in (a faith); to be religious in
我父親信佛教。／我父亲信佛教。 ― Wǒ fùqīn xìn fójiào. ― My father is a Buddhist. (lit. My father believes in Buddhism.)
- 這人來，為要作見證，就是為光作見證，叫眾人因他可以信。 [MSC, trad.]
  这人来，为要作见证，就是为光作见证，叫众人因他可以信。 [MSC, simp.]
  From: 新標點和合本 (Chinese Union Version with New Punctuation), 約翰福音 (John) 1:7
  Zhè rén lái, wèi yào zuò jiànzhèng, jiù shì wèi guāng zuò jiànzhèng, jiào zhòngrén yīn tā kěyǐ xìn. [Pinyin]
  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
trust; confidence; faith
因信稱義／因信称义 ― yīn xìn chēngyì ― to be justified by faith
- 祢用重價救贖我，使我脫離罪惡河，叫我這不配的人憑信得救。 [MSC, trad.]
  祢用重价救赎我，使我脱离罪恶河，叫我这不配的人凭信得救。 [MSC, simp.]
  From: 2009, 磐石現代樂團 [Music Stone], lyrics by 謝鴻文 [Steve Hsieh], 讓我 [Let Me]
  Mí yòng zhòngjià jiùshú wǒ, shǐ wǒ tuōlí zuì'è hé, jiào wǒ zhè bùpèi de rén píng xìn déjiù. [Pinyin]
  Allowing me, this unworthy person, to be saved by faith.
at will
信口雌黃／信口雌黄 ― xìnkǒu cíhuáng ― to make irresponsible remarks (lit. to correct someone with at will)
letter (written communication) (Classifier: 封 m c mn)
message; news; information
信息 ― xìnxī ― news, message
evidence
信物 ― xìnwù ― token, keepsake
courier; messenger
(mineralogy) arsenolite
a surname: Xin

SynonymsEdit

(true):

edit

正正 (zhèngzhèng) (Min Nan)
真正 (zhēnzhèng) (attributive)
實際／实际 (shíjì)

忠實／忠实 (zhōngshí)
正聲 (Min Nan)
真實／真实 (zhēnshí)

確切／确切 (quèqiè)
確實／确实 (quèshí)
確鑿／确凿 (quèzáo)

(to believe):

edit

信任 (xìnrèn)
深信 (shēnxìn) (to firmly believe)
相信 (xiāngxìn)

置信 (zhìxìn) (chiefly used in the negative)
信實／信实 (xìnshí)

信據／信据 (xìnjù) (literary, believe and accept as evidence)
憑信／凭信 (píngxìn)

Dialectal synonyms of 相信 (“to believe”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		相信
Mandarin	Beijing	信
	Taiwan	相信
	Tianjin	信
	Tangshan	信
	Cangzhou	信
	Baoding	信
	Shijiazhuang	信
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	相信
	Harbin	相信
	Shenyang	相信, 信
	Yantai (Muping)	信
	Qingdao	信
	Jinan	信
	Luoyang	信
	Wanrong	信
	Zhengzhou	信
	Xi'an	相信, 信
	Yinchuan	相信, 信
	Lanzhou	相信
	Xining	相信, 信服, 信
	Ürümqi	信, 相信
	Wuhan	相信, 信
	Chengdu	相信, 信, 信實
	Chongqing	信
	Guiyang	相信, 信
	Kunming	相信, 信
	Guilin	相信
	Liuzhou	相信, 信
	Xuzhou	相信, 信
	Yangzhou	相信, 信
	Nanjing	相信
	Hefei	相信, 信
	Nantong	相信, 信
	Malaysia	相信
	Singapore	相信
Cantonese	Guangzhou	相信, 信
	Hong Kong	相信, 信
	Yangjiang	相信, 信
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	信
	Singapore (Guangfu)	信
Gan	Nanchang	相信, 信
Gan	Pingxiang	信
Hakka	Meixian	相信
	Yudu	相信
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	相信
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	相信
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	相信
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	相信
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	相信
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	相信
Huizhou	Jixi	相信
Jin	Taiyuan	相信, 信
	Xinzhou	相信, 信
	Linhe	相信, 信
	Jining	相信
	Hohhot	相信, 信
	Zhangjiakou	相信
	Handan	相信, 信
Min Bei	Jian'ou	相信
Min Dong	Fuzhou	相信, 信用, 信
Min Nan	Xiamen	相信
	Quanzhou	相信
	Zhangzhou	相信
	Tainan	相信
	Penang (Hokkien)	相信
	Singapore (Hokkien)	相信
	Manila (Hokkien)	相信
	Chaozhou	相信
	Jieyang	相信
	Singapore (Teochew)	相信
	Leizhou	信
	Haikou	相信
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	相信
Wu	Shanghai	相信
	Shanghai (Chongming)	相信
	Suzhou	相信
	Danyang	相信
	Hangzhou	相信
	Ningbo	相信
	Wenzhou	相信, 信
	Jinhua	相信
Xiang	Changsha	信
	Loudi	信
	Shuangfeng	相信, 信

(to believe in a faith): 信仰 (xìnyǎng)
(letter):

edit

Synonyms of 信

信件 (xìnjiàn)
信函 (xìnhán)
信札 (xìnzhá)
八行 (bāháng) (literary)
函件 (hánjiàn)
八行書／八行书 (bāhángshū) (literary)

手書／手书 (shǒushū) (literary)
手簡／手简 (shǒujiǎn) (literary)
書／书 (shū) (literary, or in compounds)
書信／书信 (shūxìn) (formal)
書函／书函 (shūhán)
書札／书札 (shūzhá) (literary)

書牘／书牍 (shūdú) (literary)
書簡／书简 (shūjiǎn) (literary)
筆札／笔札 (bǐzhá) (literary, figurative)
簡／简 (jiǎn) (literary, or in compounds)
鴻／鸿 (hóng) (literary, figurative)

Dialectal synonyms of 信 (“letter”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		書, 函, 書札, 書函, 便紙 Korea
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		信, 函, 書信, 信件, 信函, 信札, 函件, 書函, 書簡, 書牘, 書札
Mandarin	Beijing	信
	Taiwan	信
	Yantai (Muping)	信
	Jinan	信
	Luoyang	信
	Wanrong	信
	Xi'an	信
	Yinchuan	信
	Lanzhou	信
	Xining	信
	Ürümqi	信
	Wuhan	信
	Chengdu	信
	Guiyang	信
	Guilin	信
	Liuzhou	信
	Xuzhou	信
	Yangzhou	信
	Nanjing	信
	Hefei	信
	Malaysia	信
	Singapore	信
	Dagudi (Maliba)	信
	Reshuitang (Longling)	信
	Mae Salong (Lancang)	信
	Mae Sai (Tengchong)	信
Cantonese	Guangzhou	信
	Hong Kong	信
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	信
	Macau	信
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	信
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	信
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	信
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	信
	Foshan	信
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	信
	Foshan (Shunde)	信
	Foshan (Sanshui)	信
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	信
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	信
	Zhuhai (Qianshan)	信
	Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka)	信
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	信
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	信
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	信
	Taishan	信
	Kaiping (Chikan)	信
	Enping (Niujiang)	信
	Heshan (Yayao)	信
	Dongguan	信
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	信
	Shaoguan	信
	Yunfu	信
	Yangjiang	信
	Xinyi	信
	Lianjiang	信
	Beihai	信
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	信
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	信
	Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	信
	Singapore (Guangfu)	信
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	信
	Móng Cái	信
Gan	Nanchang	信
	Lichuan	信
	Pingxiang	信
Hakka	Meixian	信
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	信
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	信
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	信
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	信
	Wuhua (Shuizhai)	信
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	信
	Wuhua (Changbu)	信
	Wuhua (Mianyang)	信
	Conghua (Lütian)	信
	Luhe	信仔
	Yudu	信
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	信仔
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	信仔
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	信仔
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	信
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	信仔, 信
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	批, 信
	Hong Kong	信
Huizhou	Jixi	信
Jin	Taiyuan	信
Jin	Xinzhou	信
Min Bei	Jian'ou	信
	Songxi	信
	Jianyang	信
Min Dong	Fuzhou	批
	Gutian	批
	Pingnan	批, 信
	Ningde	批
	Zhouning	批
	Fuding	信
	Matsu	批
	Singapore (Fuqing)	批
Min Nan	Xiamen	批, 批信
	Quanzhou	批, 批信
	Yongchun	批
	Zhangzhou	批, 批信
	Zhao'an	批
	Taipei	批
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	批
	Kaohsiung	批
	Yilan	批
	Changhua (Lukang)	批
	Taichung	批
	Taichung (Wuqi)	批
	Tainan	批, 批信
	Taitung	批
	Hsinchu	批
	Kinmen	批
	Penghu (Magong)	批
	Penang (Hokkien)	批
	Singapore (Hokkien)	批, 批信
	Manila (Hokkien)	批
	Longyan	信
	Datian	信
	Chaozhou	信, 批 international incoming letters
	Bangkok (Teochew)	信, 家批 dated
	Singapore (Teochew)	信, 批
	Batam (Teochew)	信
	Leizhou	信
	Wenchang	信 domestic, 批 international
	Haikou	信
	Singapore (Hainanese)	信, 批
Puxian Min	Putian	批
	Xianyou	批
	Fuding (Aoyao)	批
Min Zhong	Yong'an	信
Min Zhong	Shaxian	信
Zhongshan Min	Shaxi (Longdu)	信
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	信
Wu	Shanghai	信
	Shanghai (Chongming)	信
	Suzhou	信
	Danyang	信
	Ningbo	信
	Wenzhou	信
	Jinhua	信
Xiang	Changsha	信
	Loudi	信
	Shuangfeng	信

(information):

edit

信息 (xìnxī)
消息 (xiāoxi)

耗 (hào) (literary, or in compounds, chiefly bad news)
情報／情报 (qíngbào) (especially in the military or espionage)

線索／线索 (xiànsuǒ)
資訊／资讯 (zīxùn)

(evidence):

edit

Synonyms of 信

佐證／佐证 (zuǒzhèng)
例證／例证 (lìzhèng)
信據／信据 (xìnjù) (literary, reliable evidence)
力證／力证 (lìzhèng) (strong evidence)
印證／印证 (yìnzhèng)
實證／实证 (shízhèng) (concrete evidence)

干證／干证 (Min Nan)
憑／凭 (píng) (literary, or in compounds)
憑信／凭信 (píngxìn)
憑據／凭据 (píngjù)
憑條 (Min Nan)
憑證／凭证 (píngzhèng)

論證／论证 (lùnzhèng)
證／证 (zhèng)
證據／证据 (zhèngjù)
證明／证明 (zhèngmíng)
證見／证见 (zhèngjiàn) (literary, Min Nan)

(courier): 信使 (xìnshǐ)
(arsenolite): 砒霜 (pīshuāng), 信石 (xìnshí)

CompoundsEdit

Derived terms from 信

不信 (bùxìn)
不信任案
不信道
中信局
互信 (hùxìn)
信人 (xìnrén)
信仰 (xìnyǎng)
信件 (xìnjiàn)
信任 (xìnrèn)
信任投票 (xìnrèn tóupiào)
信使 (xìnshǐ)
信函 (xìnhán)
信南山
信口 (xìnkǒu)
信史 (xìnshǐ)
信士 (xìnshì)
信天游 (xìntiānyóu)
信天翁 (xìntiānwēng)
信奉 (xìnfèng)
信女 (xìnnǚ)
信子
信守 (xìnshǒu)
信守不渝
信宿
信封 (xìnfēng)
信差 (xìnchāi)
信底
信徒 (xìntú)
信心 (xìnxīn)
信心十足
信念 (xìnniàn)
信息 (xìnxī)
信意
信手 (xìnshǒu)
信教 (xìnjiào)
信是
信服 (xìnfú)
信札 (xìnzhá)
信步 (xìnbù)
信步而行
信水
信江
信炮
信然
信牒
信物 (xìnwù)
信用 (xìnyòng)
信用交易
信用卡 (xìnyòngkǎ)
信石 (xìnshí)
信票
信禽
信筒
信管
信箱 (xìnxiāng)
信臣
信行 (xìnxíng)
信衣
信誓 (xìnshì)
信誓旦旦 (xìnshìdàndàn)
信道 (xìndào)
信陵 (Xìnlíng)
信陵君
信香
信鼓
公信力 (gōngxìnlì)
匿名信 (nìmíngxìn)
半信不信
半信半疑 (bànxìn-bànyí)
卬首信眉
印信 (yìnxìn)
取信 (qǔxìn)
口信 (kǒuxìn)
可信 (kěxìn)
叵信
善信 (shànxìn)
善男信女 (shànnán xìnnǚ)
喜信 (xǐxìn)
回信 (huíxìn)
大信封
失信 (shīxìn)
威信 (wēixìn)
守信 (shǒuxìn)
家信 (jiāxìn)
寄信 (jìxìn)
小忠小信
尾生之信
崇信 (chóngxìn)
幡信
平信 (píngxìn)
庚信
引信 (yǐnxìn)
徙木之信
徙木立信
微信 (Wēixìn)
忠信 (zhōngxìn)
快信 (kuàixìn)
抱柱信
捎信 (shāoxìn)
探信
敬信 (Jìngxìn, “Jingxin”)
方信道
旦旦信誓 (dàndànxìnshì)
明信片 (míngxìnpiàn)
春信
昧信
月信 (yuèxìn)
杖莫如信

棨信
檀信 (tánxìn)
正信 (zhèngxìn)
死信 (sǐxìn)
民信局
活信
深信 (shēnxìn)
深信不疑 (shēnxìnbùyí)
溺信
潮信
狎信
的信
盲信 (mángxìn)
直躬之信
相信 (xiāngxìn)
移木之信
答信
置信 (zhìxìn)
美言不信
背信 (bèixìn)
背信罪
自信 (zìxìn)
自信心 (zìxìnxīn)
至信
航空信 (hángkōngxìn)
花信
芳信
苗信
荒信
蛇信
覆信
言而不信 (yán'érbùxìn)
言而有信
迷信 (míxìn)
送信 (sòngxìn)
通信 (tōngxìn)
通信兵 (tōngxìnbīng)
通信社 (tōngxìnshè)
音信 (yīnxìn)
音信杳然 (yīnxìnyǎorán)
音稀信杳
黑信 (hēixìn)
准信 (zhǔnxìn)
凶信
來信／来信 (láixìn)
保羅書信／保罗书信
信以為真／信以为真 (xìnyǐwéizhēn)
信任狀／信任状
信兒／信儿
信匯／信汇 (xìnhuì)
信及豚魚／信及豚鱼
信口捏膿／信口捏脓
信口胡說／信口胡说
信口開合／信口开合
信口開喝／信口开喝
信口開河／信口开河 (xìnkǒukāihé)
信口雌黃／信口雌黄 (xìnkǒucíhuáng)
信嘴胡說／信嘴胡说
信實／信实 (xìnshí)
信得過／信得过 (xìndéguò)
信從／信从 (xìncóng)
信愛／信爱
信手兒／信手儿
信手拈來／信手拈来
信據／信据 (xìnjù)
信條／信条 (xìntiáo)
信標燈／信标灯
信濃川／信浓川
信用狀／信用状 (xìnyòngzhuàng)
信用額度／信用额度 (xìnyòng édù)
信筆／信笔
信筆塗鴉／信笔涂鸦
信箋／信笺 (xìnjiān)
信篤／信笃 (sìn-táu) (Min Nan)
信籠／信笼
信紙／信纸 (xìnzhǐ)
信繩／信绳
信義／信义 (xìnyì)
信義宗／信义宗 (xìnyìzōng)
信義會／信义会 (xìnyìhuì)
信而有徵／信而有征
信腳／信脚
信號／信号 (xìnhào)
信號彈／信号弹 (xìnhàodàn)
信號槍／信号枪 (xìnhàoqiāng)
信號機／信号机 (xìnhàojī)
信號燈／信号灯 (xìnhàodēng)
信行兒／信行儿
信託／信托 (xìntuō)
信託基金／信托基金
信託資金／信托资金
信譽／信誉 (xìnyù)
信貸／信贷 (xìndài)
信賞必罰／信赏必罚
信賴／信赖 (xìnlài)
信陽／信阳 (Xìnyáng)
信風／信风 (xìnfēng)
信馬游韁／信马游缰
信馬由韁／信马由缰 (xìnmǎyóujiāng)
信鳥／信鸟
信鴿／信鸽 (xìngē)
偏聽偏信／偏听偏信
傳信／传信
傳信牌／传信牌
光學通信／光学通信
公開信／公开信 (gōngkāixìn)
匯信／汇信
取信於人／取信于人

Etymology 2Edit

simp. and trad.		信

Via 假借 (jiǎjiè, “borrowing”).

PronunciationEdit

Mandarin
(Pinyin): shēn (shen¹)

(Zhuyin): ㄕㄣ
Cantonese (Jyutping): san¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: shēn
  - Zhuyin: ㄕㄣ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: shen
  - Wade–Giles: shên¹
  - Yale: shēn
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shen
  - Palladius: шэнь (šɛnʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂən⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: san¹
  - Yale: sān
  - Cantonese Pinyin: san¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: sen¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɐn⁵⁵/

DefinitionsEdit

信

Alternative form of 申 (shēn, “to express; to state”).
- 《春秋》貴義而不貴惠，信道而不信邪。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  《春秋》贵义而不贵惠，信道而不信邪。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Commentary of Guliang, circa 206 BCE– 9 CE
  “Chūnqiū” guì yì ér bù guì huì, shēn dào ér bù shēn xié. [Pinyin]
  The Spring and Autumn Annals treasure deeds of righteousness rather than the dispensation of favour, and advocate the just principles instead of corrupt ways.
Alternative form of 伸 (shēn, “to extend”).
- 尺蠖之屈，以求信也。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]
  From: I Ching, 11^th – 8^th century BCE
  Chǐhuò zhī qū, yǐ qiú shēn yě. [Pinyin]
  An inchworm contracts, so that it may extend.

ReferencesEdit

“信”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

JapaneseEdit

KanjiEdit

信

(grade 4 “Kyōiku” kanji)

ReadingsEdit

Go-on: しん (shin, Jōyō)
Kan-on: しん (shin, Jōyō)
Nanori: し (shi); しが (shiga); しな (shina); しの (shino); しぶ (shibu); とき (toki); のび (nobi); のぶ (nobu); まこと (makoto)

CompoundsEdit

Compounds

信愛
信越
信管
信疑
信(しん)義(ぎ) (shingi): faith
信教
信(しん)仰(こう) (shinkō): belief, faith; to have faith in a religion, profess faith in
信金
信経
信玄袋
信(しん)号(ごう) (shingō): a signal; traffic lights
信士
信(しん)実(じつ) (shinjitsu): sincerity, honesty, truth, faithfulness
信(しん)者(じゃ) (shinja): a believer
信受
信書
信女
信証
信賞必罰
信条
信(しん)心(じん) (shinjin)
信(しん)託(たく) (shintaku): a trust, an entrustment; leaving things up to a trusted party; to set up a financial trust; to leave in trust
信(しん)天(てん)翁(おう) (shinten'ō)
信(しん)徒(と) (shinto): one who believes in a religion; a believer
信(しん)任(にん) (shinnin): trust, confidence, credence; to trust, confide
信認
信念
信販
信伏, 信服, 信腹
信(しん)奉(ぽう) (shinpō): belief, faith
信望
信約
信(しん)用(よう) (shin'yō): confidence, trust
信(しん)頼(らい) (shinrai): reliance, trust, confidence
信(しん)憑(ぴょう) (shinpyō)

NounEdit

信(しん) • (shin)

trust, faith
信(しん)を置(お)く、信(しん)を得(え)る
shin o oku, shin o eru
to put one's trust (in something), to gain someone's trust

Related termsEdit

信(しん)じる (shinjiru), 信(しん)ずる (shinzuru): to believe; to trust; to believe in

KoreanEdit

HanjaEdit

信 (eumhun 믿을 신 (mideul sin))

Hanja form^? of 신 (“believe; trust”).

VietnameseEdit

Han characterEdit

信: Hán Nôm readings: tín, tin

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

ReferencesEdit

Nom Foundation