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幸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
xìngtrustedng, 8 strokes, radical 干, rank #3566, Hard
xìngintimateng, 8 strokes, radical 干, rank #3566, Hard
xìng(of the emperor) to visitng, 8 strokes, radical 干, rank #3566, Hard
xìngfortunateng, 8 strokes, radical 干, rank #3566, Hard
xìngluckyng, 8 strokes, radical 干, rank #3566, Hard
xìngsurname Xingng, 8 strokes, radical 干, rank #3566, Hard
xìngfavor, fortune, luck; surnameng, 8 strokes, radical 干, rank #3566, Hard
xìng(xing4) T4
  1. 1trusted
  2. 2intimate
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(倖)xìng(xing4)

The character 幸 (xìng) primarily means 'fortunate' or 'lucky.' It is often used to express good fortune or a favorable situation. In certain contexts, it can also refer to trust or intimacy, particularly in relationships or connections.

Strokes8RadicalFrequency#3566DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressing good fortune is significant, especially during celebrations like the Lunar New Year, where people wish each other 幸 (luck) for the coming year.

Memory Tip

Imagine a lucky star shining above you, bringing you happiness (幸) every day. The character itself looks like a person with arms raised in joy, celebrating their good fortune.

Meanings of 幸

xìng(xing4)
1trusted
2intimate
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 幸

Simplified
Traditional
8Strokes
Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#3566Frequency Rank

Podcast: 幸

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 幸

Quick Contrast

幸运 (xìngyùn) vs 幸福 (xìngfú) — choose 幸 (xìng) for a sense of fortune or luck, while 幸运 (xìngyùn) emphasizes being fortunate, and 幸福 (xìngfú) refers to happiness or a state of well-being.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a lucky star shining above you, bringing you happiness (幸) every day. The character itself looks like a person with arms raised in joy, celebrating their good fortune.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 幸 (xìng) with its variant 幸 (xìng, 'to visit,' primarily used in historical contexts). It is often used in both formal and informal settings, especially when discussing luck or good fortune. Common collocations include 幸福 (xìngfú, 'happiness') and 幸运 (xìngyùn, 'fortunate').

HSK Study Tips

While 幸 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects well with related words like 幸福 (xìngfú) and 幸运 (xìngyùn), which are more commonly studied at HSK Level 3 and above. Focus on how 幸 can be used to express positive emotions and states.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressing good fortune is significant, especially during celebrations like the Lunar New Year, where people wish each other 幸 (luck) for the coming year.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 幸 (xìng) with 幸福 (xìngfú), mistakenly using 幸 to describe happiness directly. Remember that 幸 is about luck, while 幸福 specifically means happiness.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 幸

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Etymology of 幸

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Fortune (幸) is the opposite (屰) of misfortune (夭).

Memory Hint

Two men, one alive 土 and one dead 干; the living one is lucky

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 幸?

Decomposition of 幸

IDS Structure⿱土⿱丷干
Full Character
=
Tu3
top
ha5
top
gan1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 幸?

Write 幸

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 幸

幸 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 7 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

他来的时候,____好我在家,不然他又该生气了。

When he came, fortunately I was home — otherwise he would have been angry again.

Common Confusions with 幸

vs
xīng

Similar pronunciation; different meanings and radicals.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "trusted"?

or

Example Sentences for 幸 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我看见人们出洋相并不幸灾乐祸。

wǒ kàn jiàn rén mén chū yáng xiāng bìng bù xìng zāi lè huò。

I find no pleasure in seeing people make asses of themselves.
2
你需要尽你所能,最大限度地去努力。只要你这么做,只要你能保持乐观,你就会看见乌云背后的幸福线。

nǐ xū yào jìn nǐ suǒ néng, , zuì dà xiàn dù dì qù nǔ。 lì 。 zhī yào nǐ zhè, mó zuò , zhī yào nǐ néng bǎo, chí lè guān , nǐ jiù huì kàn jiàn wū yún bèi hòu。

You have to do everything you can. You have to work your hardest. And if you do, if you stay positive, then you have a shot at a silver lining.
3
请记住,幸福不在于你是谁或者你拥有什么,而仅仅取决于你的心态!

qǐng jì zhù, , xìng fú bù zài yú nǐ shì shuí huò zhě nǐ yōng yǒu shí, mó , ér jǐn jǐn qǔ jué yú nǐ de!

Remember, happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely upon what you think.--Dale Carnegie
4
不幸的是,几乎不可能看到这些重大问题得到回复。

bù xìng de shì, , jī hū bù kě néng kàn dào zhè xiē zhòng dà wèn tí dé dào huí。

Unfortunately, there is little prospect of seeing these big questions answered.
5
不幸的是,容易感冒是这个行业的职业性风险。

bù xìng de shì, , róng yì gǎn mào shì zhè gè háng yè de zhí yè xìng fēng。

Catching colds is unfortunately an occupational hazard in this profession.
6
不幸的是,奶奶好像总是醒来的不是时候。

bù xìng de shì, , nǎi nǎi hǎo xiàng zǒng shì xǐng lái de bù shì shí。

Unfortunately, Grandma always seems to awaken at awkward moments.
7
由于发生了不幸的意外,我知道消息的时候已经晚了一天。

yóu yú fā shēng le bù xìng de yì wài, , wǒ zhī dào xiāo xī de shí hòu yǐ jīng wǎn le yī。

Through some unfortunate accident, the information reached me a day late.
8
他还不知道这个不幸的消息。

tā huán bù zhī dào zhè gè bù xìng de xiāo xī。

He has not yet been let in on the bad news.
9
起初,他幸好不知道那些针对他的阴谋。

qǐ chū, , tā xìng hǎo bù zhī dào nà xiē zhēn duì tā de yīn。

At first, he was blissfully unaware of the conspiracy against him.
10
多数时候我只是庆幸自己有份工作。

duō shù shí hòu wǒ zhī shì qìng xìng zì jǐ yǒu fèn gōng zuò。

Most of the time I'm just thankful that I've got a job.

Cultural Notes for 幸

💡Did you know?

In Chinese New Year celebrations, many people use the character 幸 in decorations and greetings to wish others good luck for the year ahead. This character embodies the hope for prosperity and happiness.

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, expressing good fortune is significant, especially during celebrations like the Lunar New Year, where people wish each other 幸 (luck) for the coming year.

Word Family of 幸

Compounds13
yi4to spy on
xing4anger, frustration
xing4lucky, fortunate; to spoil, to dote on
bao4to announce, to report; newspaper; payback, revenge
yu3stable, fence, corral; frontier, border
zhi2to execute; to grasp, to hold; to keep; to sieze, to detain
Words Containing This Character20
幸福xìngfúhappiness
幸运xìngyùnfortunate幸運
不幸búxìngmisfortune
荣幸róngxìnghonored (to have the privilege of ...)榮幸
xìngtrusted
幸存者survivor倖存者
幸好xìnghǎofortunately
庆幸qìngxìngto rejoice慶幸
有幸yǒuxìngfortunately
幸亏xìngkuīfortunately幸虧
幸存xìngcúnto survive (a disaster)倖存
侥幸jiǎoxìngluckily僥倖
幸免xìngmiǎnnarrowly and luckily escape
所幸fortunately (formal writing)
幸运儿winner幸運兒
幸灾乐祸Schadenfreude幸災樂禍
幸事sth fortunate
幸而luckily
三生有幸the blessing of three lifetimes (idiom)
临幸to go in person (of emperor)臨幸
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 睪 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 幸

Yes, 幸 (xìng) is still used in modern Chinese, although it may not be as common as other characters. It often appears in literary or formal contexts, particularly when discussing concepts of trust and intimacy.