辛 (xīn) is a Chinese character meaning “toilsome, gruelling”. It is written from 立 (to stand; upright) and 十 (ten), one above the other, and takes 7 strokes.
Build the character for “toilsome; pungent”
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Structure
立 + 十
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: IDS 现代字形拆分 ⿱立十；与 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：第 1–5 笔构成「立」，第 6–7 笔构成「十」，合计 7 笔
Memory aid
Stand (立) on your feet through ten (十) straight shifts. Both parts are really in this character, and together they give you 辛: bitter, gruelling work.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
7 strokes
In real words
- 辛苦xīn kǔhard; toilsome; exhausting (also said to thank someone for their effort)辛 = xīnHSK 4
- 辛亥革命xīn hài gé mìngthe Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which ended dynastic rule in China辛 = xīn
Go deeper
All readings
toilsome; pungent
toilsome, gruelling; pungent, hot-tasting; the eighth of the ten Heavenly Stems
劳苦；辣味；也是天干的第八位。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 辛苦xīn kǔhard; toilsome; exhausting (also said to thank someone for their effort)辛 = xīnHSK 4
- 辛亥革命xīn hài gé mìngthe Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which ended dynastic rule in China辛 = xīn
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 辛 mean?
辛 (xīn) means toilsome, gruelling; pungent, hot-tasting; the eighth of the ten Heavenly Stems.
How do you pronounce 辛?
It is pronounced xīn.
What parts is 辛 made of?
立 (to stand; upright) and 十 (ten), one above the other. The recorded source is: IDS 现代字形拆分 ⿱立十；与 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：第 1–5 笔构成「立」，第 6–7 笔构成「十」，合计 7 笔. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 辛 have?
7. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 辛?
辛. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 辛?
Common ones are 辛苦 and 辛亥革命. The reading of 辛 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.