Meaning of 印
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to print
- to mark
- to engrave
- a seal
- a print
- a stamp
- a mark
- a trace
- surname Yin
- abbr. for 印度[Yin4 du4], India
How to use 印
On its own 印 (yìn) means to print or stamp, but it most often appears in compounds like 打印 (dǎyìn, to print), 复印 (fùyìn, to photocopy) and 印象 (yìnxiàng, impression). Example: 我想打印这份文件。(Wǒ xiǎng dǎyìn zhè fèn wénjiàn.) I want to print this document.
Think of 印 (yìn) as a hand pressing a seal down onto paper. Whatever you press leaves a mark, so the same character covers seals, stamps, prints and traces like a 脚印 (jiǎoyìn), a footprint.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 印 (yìn) with 即 (jí, namely, at once) because both have a similar right side. Also remember the tone is fourth, yìn, not yīn like 因 (yīn, because).
印 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
印 yìn · to print · 5 strokes
- 1
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- 3
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- 5
Related words
Words that share a character with 印.
| 打印 | dǎyìn | to affix a seal; to stamp |
| 印象 | yìnxiàng | impression (sth that stays in one's mind); a memory |
| 复印 | fùyìn | to photocopy; to duplicate a document |
| 印刷 | yìnshuā | to print; printing |
| 脚印 | jiǎoyìn | footprint |
| 打印机 | dǎyìnjī | printer |
| 印章 | yìnzhāng | seal; signet |
| 印证 | yìnzhèng | to confirm; to corroborate; to verify; proof; evidence |
| 印刷术 | yìnshuāshù | printing; printing technology |
| 封印 | fēngyìn | seal (on envelopes) |
| 印记 | yìnjì | imprint; trace |
| 烙印 | làoyìn | to brand (cattle etc); brand |
Questions about 印
What does 印 mean?
印 (yìn) means "to print; to mark" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 印?
印 is made of 1 character: 印 (5 strokes). That is 5 strokes in total.
Is 印 an HSK word?
Yes. 印 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 打印 and 复印?
打印 (dǎyìn) means printing from a computer to a printer, 打印机 (dǎyìnjī). 复印 (fùyìn) means making a copy of an existing paper document with a photocopier.
Why does 印 appear in the word for India?
印度 (Yìndù) is a sound-based transliteration, so 印 is used for its sound there, not its meaning. As a result 印 alone can be a short form for India, as in 中印 (Zhōng Yìn), China and India.