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信仰 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
信仰xìnyǎngto believe in (a religion)HSK 7, n, 15 strokes, rank #1910, Very Hard
信仰xìnyǎngfirm beliefHSK 7, n, 15 strokes, rank #1910, Very Hard
信仰xìnyǎngconvictionHSK 7, n, 15 strokes, rank #1910, Very Hard
xìnyǎng(xin4yang3)xin yang T4
  1. 1to believe in (a religion)
  2. 2firm belief
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March 24, 2026

信仰xìnyǎng(xin4yang3)

信仰 (xìnyǎng) refers to a deep conviction or belief, often in a religious or spiritual context. It embodies the concept of faith and can also extend to strong beliefs in ideologies or principles beyond religion, such as political or philosophical beliefs.

Strokes15Frequency#1910DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture,信仰 plays an important role in the context of traditional beliefs such as Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, which often influence personal values and societal norms.

Memory tip

Think of 信 (xìn) as a letter you send to express your belief, and 仰 (yǎng) as looking up in reverence. Together, you have a 'letter of faith' that you hold up high, symbolizing your beliefs.

Meanings of 信仰

xìnyǎng(xin4yang3)
1to believe in (a religion)
2firm belief
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 信仰

信仰Simplified
15Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1910Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7IntermediateHSKKL3BCT✓CEFRC1

Podcast: 信仰

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Podcast: 信仰

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AI study notes for 信仰

Quick Contrast

信念 (xìnniàn) — use 信仰 for more profound, often spiritual beliefs, while 信念 refers to a belief or conviction that may not have the same depth or religious context.

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 信仰 is often used in more formal contexts, particularly when discussing religion or deep personal convictions. Common collocations include '宗教信仰' (religious belief) and '坚定信仰' (firm conviction). Watch out for the tone; '信' is fourth tone, while '仰' is third tone, which can sometimes be mixed up.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 信仰 connects with terms related to personal beliefs and ideologies. Students should focus on using this word in discussions about religion, philosophy, or personal values, and practice forming sentences that express nuanced beliefs.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 信仰 with other terms like 信念, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '他的信念是宗教信仰' is incorrect; it should be '他的信仰是宗教信仰' to specify religious belief.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 信仰

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Component characters

信xìnletter
HSK 39 strokes亻
View full entry
仰yǎngto face upward
HSK 66 strokes亻
View full entry

How to say to believe in (a religion) in Chinese

“to believe in (a religion)” in Chinese is信仰xìnyǎng

信仰 (xìnyǎng) refers to a deep conviction or belief, often in a religious or spiritual context. It embodies the concept of faith and can also extend to strong beliefs in ideologies or principles beyond religion, such as political or philosophical beliefs.

When to use 信仰

Be mindful that 信仰 is often used in more formal contexts, particularly when discussing religion or deep personal convictions. Common collocations include '宗教信仰' (religious belief) and '坚定信仰' (firm conviction). Watch out for the tone; '信' is fourth tone, while '仰' is third tone, which can sometimes be mixed up.

信仰 or something close to it

信念 (xìnniàn) — use 信仰 for more profound, often spiritual beliefs, while 信念 refers to a belief or conviction that may not have the same depth or religious context.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 信仰 with other terms like 信念, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '他的信念是宗教信仰' is incorrect; it should be '他的信仰是宗教信仰' to specify religious belief.

Write 信仰

信
仰

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

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Grammar patterns of 信仰

信仰 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 3 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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

他们强烈感受到他们的宗教____与政治体制不相称。

They feel strongly that their religion is incompatible with the political system.

Example sentences for 信仰 (10)

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1
他们强烈感受到他们的宗教信仰与政治体制不相称。

tāmen qiángliè gǎnshòu dào tāmen de zōngjiào xìnyǎng yǔ zhèngzhì tǐzhì bù Xiāng chèn。

They feel strongly that their religion is incompatible with the political system.
2
你是在干涉人们的宗教信仰,他们并不喜欢你的做法。

nǐ shì zài gānshè rénmen de zōngjiào xìnyǎng, tāmen bìng bù xǐhuan nǐ de zuòfǎ。

You are messing with people's religion and they don't like that.
3
很多人视他为信仰疗法术士。

hěn duō rén shì tā wèi xìnyǎng liáofǎ shù shì。

A lot of people looked on him as a healer.
4
她已经学会了按自己的方式行事,坚持自己的信仰。

tā yǐjīng xuéhuì le àn zìjǐ de fāngshì xíng shì, jiānchí zìjǐ de xìnyǎng。

She'd learnt to be herself and to stand up for her convictions.
5
在他漫长的一生中,他对基督教信仰始终是一种摇摆不定的态度。

zài tā màncháng de yìshēng zhōng, tā duì jīdūjiào xìnyǎng shǐzhōng shì yī zhǒng yáobǎi búdìng de tàidù。

He maintained an ambivalent attitude to the Church throughout his long life.
6
非暴力和忍耐是他们的信仰的核心原则。

fēi bàolì hé rěnnài shì tāmen de xìnyǎng de héxīn yuánzé。

Non-violence and patience are the central tenets of their faith.
7
该中心向所有人开放,不论种族和宗教信仰如何。

gāi zhōngxīn xiàng suǒyǒu rén kāifàng, búlùn zhǒngzú hé zōngjiào xìnyǎng rúhé。

The centre is open to all, no matter what race or creed.
8
如果不尊重别人的宗教信仰,就会祷下大错,酿成冲突。

rúguǒ bù zūnzhòng biérén de zōngjiào xìnyǎng, jiù huì dǎo xià dà cuò, niàng chéng chōngtū。

Unless you respect other people's religions, horrible mistakes and conflict will occur.
9
他们从小就被满脑子灌入了他们父母的信仰。

tāmen cóngxiǎo jiù bèi mǎn nǎozi guàn rù le tāmen fùmǔ de xìnyǎng。

They had been indoctrinated from an early age with their parents' beliefs.
10
我们并无实际、客观、科学的证据支撑我们的信仰。

wǒmen bìng wú shíjì、 kèguān、 kēxué de zhèngjù zhīchēng wǒmen de xìnyǎng。

We have no real, objective, scientific evidence for our belief.

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Cultural Notes for 信仰

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

Unlike in many Western cultures where personal belief often emphasizes individualism, Chinese conceptions of 信仰 can be more communal, reflecting broader societal values and collective identities.

Frequently asked questions about 信仰

You can say '他有坚定的宗教信仰' which means 'He has a firm religious belief.'

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