信 xìn letter
letter; to believe; to trust
How to remember 信: 亻 person + 言 words = letter. A lonely person in the care home reads the words again and again, keeping all her grandson's letters in a shoebox.
Component breakdown
信 = 亻 person + 言 words
- 亻 person
- 言 words
A lonely person in the care home reads the words again and again, keeping all her grandson's letters in a shoebox.
How it is used
- Two senses share the character: "to trust/believe" (相信 xiāngxìn to believe, 信任 xìnrèn to trust) and the noun "letter" (写信 xiě xìn write a letter, 回信 huíxìn to reply).
- 相信 takes a belief or person as object (相信我 xiāngxìn wǒ trust me); don't confuse with 信心 (xìnxīn) confidence, a noun you 有 (have).
- Modern life shifts it: 短信 (duǎnxìn) text message, 信息 (xìnxī) information, 信号 (xìnhào) signal, 信用卡 (xìnyòngkǎ) credit card.
Words with 信
- 相信xiāngxìnto believeHSK 3
- 信用卡xìnyòngkǎcredit cardHSK 3
- 信息xìnxīinformationHSK 4
- 短信duǎnxìntext messageHSK 4
- 自信zìxìnself-confidenceHSK 4
- 信心xìnxīnconfidenceHSK 4
- 信号xìnhàosignalHSK 4
- 回信huíxìnto replyHSK 4
- 信封xìnfēngenvelopeHSK 5
- 信任xìnrènto trustHSK 5
- 信用xìnyòngtrustworthinessHSK 5
- 信念xìnniànfaithHSK 6
- 信赖xìnlàito trustHSK 6
- 诚信chéngxìnhonestyHSK 6
- 通信tōngxìnto correspond (by letter, email etc)HSK 6
- 信件xìnjiànletter (sent by mail)HSK 7
- 半信半疑bànxìn-bànyíhalf believing, half doubtingHSK 7
- 坚信jiānxìnto believe firmlyHSK 7
- 电信diànxìntelecommunicationsHSK 7
- 确信quèxìnto be convincedHSK 7
- 迷信míxìnsuperstitionHSK 7
- 信仰xìnyǎngto believe in (a religion)HSK 8
- 信誉xìnyùprestigeHSK 8
- 信贷xìndàicreditHSK 8
- 威信wēixìnWeixin county in Zhaotong 昭通, YunnanHSK 8
- 守信shǒuxìnto keep promisesHSK 8
- 贺信hèxìncongratulatory letter or messageHSK 8
- 难以置信nányǐ-zhìxìnhard to believeHSK 9
Example sentences
- 我去邮局寄信。 Wǒ qù yóujú jìxìn.I'm going to the post office to mail a letter.
- 这个信息是错误的。 Zhège xìnxī shì cuòwù de.This information is wrong.
- 我有理由相信他会成功。 Wǒ yǒu lǐyóu xiāngxìn tā huì chénggōng.I have reason to believe that he will succeed.
- 我有自信能完成这份工作。 Wǒ yǒu zìxìn néng wánchéng zhè fèn gōngzuò.I'm confident of completing the job.