安 meaning and stroke order
(bound form) calm; peaceful; to calm; to set at ease; safe; secure; in good health
How to write 安, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 安
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) calm; peaceful
- to calm; to set at ease
- safe; secure; in good health
- content; satisfied (as in 安於|安于[an1 yu2])
- to place (sb) in a suitable position (job)
- to install; to fix; to fit
How 安 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A woman 女 safe in a house 宀.
Radical: 宀 (roof), shared by 67 characters on this site.
How to remember 安
安 is a roof 宀 over a woman 女. Picture a woman safe inside her house, and you have the idea of peace and safety.
安 (ān) rarely stands alone in modern speech. It appears in many common words like 安全 (ānquán, safe), 安静 (ānjìng, quiet), and 安排 (ānpái, to arrange). Example: 请安静。(Qǐng ānjìng.) Please be quiet.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes confuse 安 with 字 (zì, character), which has the same roof but 子 underneath instead of 女. Also keep the first tone flat: ān, not àn as in 按 (àn, to press).
Common words with 安
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 安全 | ānquán | safe; secure; safety; security | HSK 2 |
| 晚安 | wǎn'ān | Good night!; Good evening! | HSK 2 |
| 安静 | ānjìng | quiet; peaceful | HSK 2 |
| 平安 | píng'ān | safe and sound; well | HSK 2 |
| 一路平安 | yīlù-píng'ān | to have a pleasant journey; Bon voyage! | HSK 2 |
| 安排 | ānpái | to arrange; to plan | HSK 3 |
| 保安 | bǎo'ān | to ensure public security; to ensure safety (for workers engaged in production) | HSK 3 |
| 不安 | bù'ān | unpeaceful; unstable | HSK 3 |
| 安装 | ānzhuāng | to install; to erect | HSK 3 |
| 安置 | ānzhì | to find a place for; to help settle down | HSK 4 |
| 安慰 | ānwèi | to comfort; to console | HSK 5 |
| 治安 | zhì'ān | law and order; public security | HSK 5 |
| 公安 | gōng'ān | (Ministry of) Public Security; public safety | HSK 6 |
| 安检 | ānjiǎn | security check (abbr. for 安全檢查|安全检查[an1 quan2 jian3 cha2]); to do a security check | HSK 6 |
安 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 安
Learning 安 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 安
How many strokes are in 安?
安 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 安 mean?
安 (ān) means (bound form) calm; peaceful; to calm; to set at ease; safe; secure; in good health. A common word with it is 安全 (ānquán), meaning "safe; secure; safety; security".
How do you pronounce 安?
安 is pronounced ān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 安?
The radical of 安 is 宀, which carries the idea of "roof". Dictionaries list 安 under this radical.
Is 安 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 安 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
Can 安 mean to install something?
Yes. In words like 安装 (ānzhuāng, to install) 安 means to fit or set something in place. You may also hear 安 alone in casual speech, as in 安个空调 (ān ge kōngtiáo, install an air conditioner).
Why does 晚安 mean good night?
晚 (wǎn) means evening and 安 means peaceful, so 晚安 (wǎn'ān) wishes someone a peaceful night. It is said when parting at night or before sleep, not as a greeting when you arrive.