謹 meaning and stroke order
Prudent, cautious, attentive
How to write 謹, stroke by stroke
18 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 謹
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- cautious
- careful
- solemnly
- sincerely (formal)
How 謹 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Speech.
言 gives the meaning and 堇 hints at the sound.
Radical: 言 (words), shared by 155 characters on this site.
How to remember 謹
謹 combines 言 (speech) on the left with 堇 (jǐn) on the right, which gives the sound. Think of it as being careful with your words: before you speak, you weigh each one.
謹 rarely stands alone in speech and mostly appears in words like 謹慎 (jǐnshèn, cautious) and 嚴謹 (yánjǐn, rigorous). In formal writing it also means "respectfully" or "sincerely," as in letters and notices. Example: 開車要謹慎。(Kāichē yào jǐnshèn.) You should drive carefully.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 謹 with 僅 (jǐn, only) and 勤 (qín, diligent), because all three share the 堇 part. Check the left side: 言 means care in words, 亻 means "only," and 力 on the right means hard work.
Common words with 謹
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Questions about 謹
How many strokes are in 謹?
謹 is written with 18 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 謹 mean?
謹 (jǐn) means prudent, cautious, attentive. A common word with it is 谨慎 (jǐnshèn), meaning "cautious; prudent".
How do you pronounce 謹?
謹 is pronounced jǐn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 謹?
The radical of 謹 is 言, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 謹 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 謹?
謹 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 谨, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What does 謹 mean in phrases like 謹此 or 謹上?
In formal letters and announcements, 謹 means "respectfully" or "sincerely." 謹此致謝 (jǐn cǐ zhì xiè) means "I hereby sincerely express my thanks," and 某某謹上 is a polite letter closing.
What is the difference between 謹慎 and 小心?
小心 (xiǎoxīn) is everyday and often used as a warning, like 小心! (Watch out). 謹慎 (jǐnshèn) is more formal and describes a careful, prudent attitude in decisions or behavior.