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忱 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
忱chénhonesty, sincerity, zealng, 7 strokes, radical 忄
chén(chen2)chen T2
  1. 1honesty, sincerity, zeal
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March 24, 2026

忱chén(chen2)

The character 忱 (chén) conveys a sense of honesty, sincerity, and zeal. It is often used in contexts where genuine feelings or intentions are expressed, such as in personal relationships or in discussions about moral integrity. This character emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself and others.

Strokes7Radical忄
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, sincerity is highly valued, especially in business and personal relationships. The concept of 忱 reflects the moral expectation that one should always be genuine and honest in their dealings with others.

Memory tip

Imagine a heartfelt letter (the radical 忄, meaning 'heart') being written with great zeal (the component 成, meaning 'to become'). The character 忱 can be remembered as 'a heart that becomes sincere', linking both the form and the meaning together.

Meanings of 忱

chén(chen2)
1honesty, sincerity, zeal
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 忱

忱Simplified
7Strokes
忄Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 忱

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Podcast: 忱

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AI study notes for 忱

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 忱 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more appropriate for written contexts or formal discussions. Learners should avoid confusing it with similar characters like 诚 (chéng), which also means 'sincerity' but is more frequently used. Pay attention to the tone, as mispronouncing this character can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 忱 is not listed in the HSK levels, it connects well with HSK 4 vocabulary related to emotions and interpersonal relationships. Focus on using it in context with other terms related to honesty and integrity to enhance understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 忱 with 诚 (chéng), thinking they are interchangeable; however, 忱 implies a deeper emotional commitment. A common mistake would be using 忱 in casual conversation where 诚 would be more appropriate.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 忱

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Etymology of 忱

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 冘 represents the sound.

Memory hint

heart

Semantic (meaning)忄
+
Phonetic (sound)冘
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

忱 = 忄 + 冘. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 忱

IDS Structure⿰忄冘
忱Full character
=
忄xin1
left
冘yin2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 忱?

How to say honesty, sincerity, zeal in Chinese

“honesty, sincerity, zeal” in Chinese is忱chén

The character 忱 (chén) conveys a sense of honesty, sincerity, and zeal. It is often used in contexts where genuine feelings or intentions are expressed, such as in personal relationships or in discussions about moral integrity. This character emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself and others.

When to use 忱

Be mindful that 忱 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more appropriate for written contexts or formal discussions. Learners should avoid confusing it with similar characters like 诚 (chéng), which also means 'sincerity' but is more frequently used. Pay attention to the tone, as mispronouncing this character can lead to misunderstandings.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 忱 with 诚 (chéng), thinking they are interchangeable; however, 忱 implies a deeper emotional commitment. A common mistake would be using 忱 in casual conversation where 诚 would be more appropriate.

Write 忱

忱

Practice writing 忱 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 忱

Words containing this character6
热忱zeal熱忱
忱chénsincerity
满腔热忱full of enthusiasm滿腔熱忱
谢忱gratitude謝忱
陈忱Chen Chen (1613-1670), novelist and poet at the Ming-Qing transition, author of Water Margin sequel 水滸後傳|水浒后传陳忱
李忱Li Chen, personal name of seventeenth Tang emperor Xuanzong 宣宗[Xuān​zōng] (810-859), reigned 846-859
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 忱

What does 热忱 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 忱

No, 忱 is primarily used in written contexts or formal discussions, rather than in everyday conversation.

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