隱 meaning and stroke order
To hide, to conceal; secret, hidden
How to write 隱, stroke by stroke
16 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 隱
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) secret; hidden; concealed; crypto-
- to lean upon
How 隱 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A place 阝 to hide when worried 㥯.
Radical: 阝 (place), shared by 160 characters on this site.
How to remember 隱
On the left is 阝, a hillside or mound, and on the right is 㥯, which contains 心 (xīn, heart) at the bottom. Picture a worried heart running behind a hill to hide, and you have 隱 (yǐn), to hide or conceal.
隱 is a bound form, so it almost always appears inside words like 隱藏 (yǐncáng, to hide), 隱私 (yǐnsī, privacy) and 隱約 (yǐnyuē, faint). Example: 這是我的隱私。(Zhè shì wǒ de yǐnsī.) This is my private business.
Common mistake: Learners often use 隱 alone as a verb, saying 我隱了 for "I hid." Use 藏 (cáng) or 躲 (duǒ) on their own, or the full word 隱藏 (yǐncáng), instead.
Common words with 隱
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 隱藏 | yǐncáng | to hide; to conceal | HSK 6 |
| 隱私 | yǐnsī | secrets; private business | HSK 6 |
| 隱瞞 | yǐnmán | to conceal; to hide (a taboo subject) | HSK 7-9 |
| 隱形 | yǐnxíng | invisible | HSK 7-9 |
| 隱蔽 | yǐnbì | to conceal; to hide | HSK 7-9 |
| 隱身 | yǐnshēn | to hide oneself; invisible (person or online status) | HSK 7-9 |
| 隱約 | yǐnyuē | vague; faint; indistinct | HSK 7-9 |
| 隱患 | yǐnhuàn | a danger concealed within sth; hidden damage | HSK 7-9 |
| 隱情 | yǐnqíng | sth one wishes to keep secret; ulterior motive | HSK 7-9 |
| 隱性 | yǐnxìng | hidden; crypto- | HSK 7-9 |
| 隱秘 | yǐnmì | secret; hidden | |
| 隱居 | yǐnjū | to live in seclusion | |
| 隱形眼鏡 | yǐnxíngyǎnjìng | contact lens | |
| 隱喻 | yǐnyù | metaphor |
Characters that contain 隱
Learning 隱 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 隱
How many strokes are in 隱?
隱 is written with 16 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 隱 mean?
隱 (yǐn) means to hide, to conceal; secret, hidden. A common word with it is 隐藏 (yǐncáng), meaning "to hide; to conceal".
How do you pronounce 隱?
隱 is pronounced yǐn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 隱?
The radical of 隱 is 阝, which carries the idea of "place". Dictionaries list 隱 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 隱?
隱 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 隐, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 隱藏 and 隱瞞?
隱藏 (yǐncáng) means to hide something physical or abstract, like hiding a file or a feeling. 隱瞞 (yǐnmán) means to keep information or the truth from someone, so it is used for facts, mistakes or secrets you are not telling.
Does 隱 have another pronunciation?
Yes. It can also be read yìn, with a meaning of to lean upon. This reading is rare and mostly found in classical texts, so in everyday Chinese you can read it as yǐn.