兴 (xīng) is a Chinese character meaning “to rise”. It is written from ⺍ (three short top strokes (dot, dot, left-falling)) and 一 (one) and 八 (eight), and takes 6 strokes. It has a second reading, xìng, which turns up in 高兴 — here the two readings are two separate things to learn, not one card with two answers.
Build the character for “to rise; to flourish”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
⺍ + 一 + 八
Top–middle–bottom structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分，按 hanzi-writer-data 笔画逐笔核验（3+1+2=6 笔）
Memory aid
Three sparks (⺍) fly up off a long tabletop (一), and two legs (八) brace underneath. Everything is lifting — this character is about things rising and taking off.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
6 strokes
In real words
- 兴奋xīng fènexcited; excitement兴 = xīng
- 兴旺xīng wàngprosperous; thriving兴 = xīng
- 兴隆xīng lóngprosperous; thriving (of business)兴 = xīng
- 振兴zhèn xīngto revitalize; to boost兴 = xīng
Go deeper
All readings
to rise; to flourish
to rise; to flourish; to prosper; to start up or set going
兴起；旺盛；创立、举办。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 兴奋xīng fènexcited; excitement兴 = xīng
- 兴旺xīng wàngprosperous; thriving兴 = xīng
- 兴隆xīng lóngprosperous; thriving (of business)兴 = xīng
- 振兴zhèn xīngto revitalize; to boost兴 = xīng
interest; good mood
interest; enthusiasm; the mood or spirits for doing something
对事物喜爱的情绪；兴致。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 高兴gāo xìnghappy; glad兴 = xìng
- 兴趣xìng qùinterest兴 = xìng
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 兴 mean?
兴 (xīng) means to rise; to flourish; to prosper; to start up or set going.
How do you pronounce 兴?
Its main reading is xīng. It also has a second reading, xìng, which only shows up in certain words such as 高兴 — so the word tells you the reading, not the character on its own.
Why is 兴 sometimes pronounced xìng?
Because it is a multi-reading character: each reading carries a different sense, and the word decides which one applies. In 高兴 it is read xìng.
What parts is 兴 made of?
⺍ (three short top strokes (dot, dot, left-falling)) and 一 (one) and 八 (eight). The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分，按 hanzi-writer-data 笔画逐笔核验（3+1+2=6 笔）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 兴 have?
6. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 兴?
八. 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 兴?
Common ones are 兴奋. The reading of 兴 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.