Details
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
person + speech
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of person and words. Person's words.
Symbolism
Trust, faith, belief. Represents believing.
Spiritual Meaning
One of Five Confucian Virtues. Meaning sincerity and trust, it forms a spiritual foundation as "faith" in gods/Buddha religiously, and "trustworthiness" interpersonally.
Anime & Manga
キングダム
Kingdom(2006)
Protagonist Shin (meaning 'faith') aims for unification.
View on Amazon →Games
信長の野望
Nobunaga's Ambition(1983)
Developer: Koei Tecmo
Sengoku simulation controlling Oda 'Nobunaga.'
View on Amazon →Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
半信半疑
はんしんはんぎ
half in doubt; half-convinced; dubious; half in doubt
音信不通
おんしんふつう
break in contact; not hearing from; having no communication with; break in contact
信賞必罰
しんしょうひつばつ
sure punishment or reward; sure punishment or reward
Proverbs & Idioms
信なくば立たず
しんなくばたたず
Without trust, nothing stands
Trust is the foundation of everything
信じる者は救われる
しんじるものはすくわれる
Those who believe shall be saved
Faith brings salvation
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 信 mean in Japanese?
信 means faith, truth, fidelity, trust.
How do you read 信?
On'yomi: シン (SHIN).
How many strokes does 信 have?
信 has 9 strokes. Its radical is 人 (person).
Is 信 a good kanji for a tattoo?
Yes. 信 (faith, truth, fidelity, trust) has a clear positive meaning and no embarrassing alternate readings, making it a solid tattoo choice.
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