姻 meaning and stroke order
Relatives by marriage
How to write 姻, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 姻
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- marriage connections
- variant of 姻[yin1]
How 姻 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A woman 女 related by 因 marriage.
Radical: 女 (woman), shared by 156 characters on this site.
How to remember 姻
姻 joins 女 (woman) with 因 (yīn, cause or connection). Think of a woman who becomes the reason two families are connected, which is a marriage tie.
姻 rarely stands alone. It appears mostly in words about marriage, especially 婚姻 (hūnyīn), the standard formal word for marriage. Example: 他们的婚姻很幸福。(Tāmen de hūnyīn hěn xìngfú.) Their marriage is very happy.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 姻 (yīn) with 因 (yīn, because) since they sound the same. In 婚姻 you need the 女 on the left, while 因为 (yīnwèi) has no 女. Also keep the first tone in 婚姻 (hūnyīn), as both syllables are flat and high.
Common words with 姻
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 婚姻 | hūnyīn | marriage; matrimony | HSK 7-9 |
| 联姻 | liányīn | related by marriage; to connect by marriage (families, work units) | |
| 姻缘 | yīnyuán | a marriage predestined by fate |
姻 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 姻
How many strokes are in 姻?
姻 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 姻 mean?
姻 (yīn) means relatives by marriage. A common word with it is 婚姻 (hūnyīn), meaning "marriage; matrimony".
How do you pronounce 姻?
姻 is pronounced yīn, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 姻?
The radical of 姻 is 女, which carries the idea of "woman". Dictionaries list 姻 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 姻?
The traditional form of 姻 is 婣. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 姻 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 姻 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 姻 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 婚姻 and 结婚?
婚姻 (hūnyīn) is a noun for marriage as an institution or relationship. 结婚 (jiéhūn) is a verb meaning to get married. You say 我们明年结婚 (We are getting married next year), but 婚姻法 (marriage law).
What does 姻缘 mean and when is it used?
姻缘 (yīnyuán) means a marriage destined by fate. It has a romantic, traditional feel and often appears in phrases like 天赐姻缘, a match made in heaven.