禁 meaning and stroke order
To restrict, to prohibit, to forbid; to endure
How to write 禁, stroke by stroke
13 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 禁
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to endure
- to prohibit
- to forbid
How 禁 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Altar.
示 gives the meaning and 林 hints at the sound.
Radical: 示 (altar), shared by 8 characters on this site.
How to remember 禁
禁 is a forest 林 above an altar 示. Picture a sacred altar hidden in the woods where people are forbidden to enter. 林 (lín) also gives the sound, and 示 carries the meaning tied to sacred things.
In the jìn reading it means to forbid, and it appears on signs and in rules, as in 禁止 (jìnzhǐ) and 严禁 (yánjìn). Example: 这里禁止吸烟。(Zhèlǐ jìnzhǐ xīyān.) Smoking is not allowed here.
Common mistake: Learners often read every 禁 as jìn, but in 不禁 (bùjīn), 禁不住 (jīnbuzhù) and 情不自禁 (qíngbùzìjīn) it means to endure or hold back and takes the first tone. Also do not confuse the top 林 with 木, since 禁 has two trees.
Common words with 禁
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 禁止 | jìnzhǐ | to prohibit; to forbid | HSK 4 |
| 不禁 | bùjīn | can't help (doing sth); can't refrain from | HSK 6 |
| 严禁 | yánjìn | to strictly prohibit | HSK 7-9 |
| 禁区 | jìnqū | restricted area; forbidden zone; off-limits area | HSK 7-9 |
| 情不自禁 | qíngbùzìjīn | (idiom) cannot refrain from; cannot help; cannot but | HSK 7-9 |
| 禁忌 | jìnjì | taboo; contraindication (medicine) | HSK 7-9 |
| 禁不住 | jīnbuzhù | can't help it; can't bear it | HSK 7-9 |
| 监禁 | jiānjìn | to imprison; to jail | |
| 囚禁 | qiújìn | to imprison; captivity | |
| 宵禁 | xiāojìn | night curfew | |
| 禁令 | jìnlìng | prohibition; ban | |
| 禁足 | jìnzú | to forbid sb to go out; to confine to one location (e.g. student, soldier, prisoner, monk | |
| 软禁 | ruǎnjìn | to place under house arrest | |
| 禁用 | jīnyòng | to withstand heavy use; durable |
禁 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 禁
Learning 禁 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 禁
How many strokes are in 禁?
禁 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 禁 mean?
禁 (jìn) means to restrict, to prohibit, to forbid; to endure. A common word with it is 禁止 (jìnzhǐ), meaning "to prohibit; to forbid".
How do you pronounce 禁?
禁 is pronounced jìn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 禁?
The radical of 禁 is 示, which carries the idea of "altar". Dictionaries list 禁 under this radical.
Is 禁 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 禁 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 禁止 and 不许?
禁止 (jìnzhǐ) is formal and used in official rules, laws and signs. 不许 (bùxǔ) is more spoken, like a parent telling a child not to do something.
Does 不禁 mean not forbidden?
No. 不禁 (bùjīn) means cannot help doing something, as in 他不禁笑了 (tā bùjīn xiào le), he couldn't help laughing. Here 禁 means to hold back, not to forbid.