殷 meaning and stroke order
Many, great; abundant, flourishing
How to write 殷, stroke by stroke
10 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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- 10
Meaning of 殷
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- dark red
- flourishing
- abundant
- earnest
- hospitable
- roll of thunder
How 殷 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A midwife 殳 to helping a pregnant woman 㐆; 㐆 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 殳 (tool), shared by 16 characters on this site.
How to remember 殷
On the left, 㐆 shows a pregnant woman, and on the right, 殳 is a helping hand at work. A full belly and busy helpers suggest something abundant and flourishing, which is the core idea of 殷 (yīn).
In modern Chinese, 殷 (yīn) mostly appears in set words rather than alone. The most common is 殷勤 (yīnqín), meaning attentive or eager to please, as in 他对客人很殷勤。(Tā duì kèrén hěn yīnqín.) He is very attentive to the guests. You will also see it in the name of the Yin dynasty, 殷 (Yīn).
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 殷 with 段 (duàn), since both have 殳 on the right, so check that the left side is 㐆 and not the left part of 段. Also remember that in the sense of dark red, as in 殷红 (yānhóng), it is read yān, not yīn.
Common words with 殷
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 殷勤 | yīnqín | politely; solicitously | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 殷
How many strokes are in 殷?
殷 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 殷 mean?
殷 (yīn) means many, great; abundant, flourishing. A common word with it is 殷勤 (yīnqín), meaning "politely; solicitously".
How do you pronounce 殷?
殷 is pronounced yīn, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 殷?
The radical of 殷 is 殳, which carries the idea of "tool". Dictionaries list 殷 under this radical.
Is 殷 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 殷 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Is 殷勤 a positive or negative word?
It can be either. It often means warmly attentive, but in phrases like 献殷勤 (xiàn yīnqín) it suggests fawning or trying too hard to win someone's favor.
How do I say a deep red color with 殷?
Use 殷红 (yānhóng), pronounced with yān. It describes a dark, blood-like red and is mostly found in written or literary Chinese.