<p>I'm afraid that you are reading much too into this. There is no "meaning behind <strong>each</strong> stroke".</p>

<p>「信」(Baxter-Sagart OC: <strong>/*s-ni[ŋ]-s/</strong>, <em>sincerity</em>) is composed of semantic「言」(<em>speech</em>, here vaguely hinting at <em>honest words</em>) and phonetic「人・亻」(<strong>/*ni[ŋ]/</strong>).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-18T05:00:20.767Z
2019-10-18T05:00:20.767Z
dROOOze
<p>The character in question is: 信. This might not be the answer that you want, but this is how <em>Outlier</em> explains the character:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>FORM</strong><br>
  信 xìn contains the meaning component 言 “speech; words,” indicating the original meaning, “sincerity; honesty.” 亻 rén gives the sound.</p>
  
  <p><strong>COMPONENTS</strong><br>
  亻<br>
  In 信 xìn, 亻 rén is a sound component, though this is not obvious in Mandarin.<br>
  言<br>
  In 信, 言 “speech; words” is a meaning component, indicating “sincerity; honesty.”      </p>
  
  <p><strong>MEANINGS</strong><br>
  Character meanings<br>
  xìn   </p>
  
  <p>1 (orig.) honesty<br>
  2 → to trust, to believe</p>
  
  <p>3 ⇒ person who delivers letters (i.e., a trustworthy person. Only used in ancient texts)</p>
  
  <p>4 ⇒⇒ letter; correspondence</p>
  
  <p>5 ⇒⇒⇒ message; information</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-18T03:58:23.587Z
2019-10-18T06:22:40.263Z
2019-10-18T06:22:40.263Z
Mou某
<p>信 <a href="http://www.shuowen.org/view/1519" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.shuowen.org/view/1519</a></p>
<p>信 <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/669/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/669/</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>《說文解字注》<strong>誠</strong>也。</p>
<p>信 originally meant &quot;honest; sincere&quot;</p>
<p>从人言</p>
<p>made up of 人(people) and 言 (words)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Extended meanings 信 contains:</p>
</blockquote>
<p>信(honest; sincere) --&gt; 信(trust) --&gt; 信(believe)</p>
<p>信(trust) --&gt; 信(faithful)</p>
<p>信(sincere) --&gt; 信(letter)</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Compound words with 信 as a component:</p>
</blockquote>
<p>誠信 (sincerity; honesty)</p>
<p>信用 (trustworthiness)</p>
<p>守信 (trustworthy)</p>
<p>相信 (believe)</p>
<p>信任 (trust)</p>
<p>信心 (confidence)</p>
<p>忠信 (faithful)</p>
<p>信仰 (faith; religious belief)</p>
<p>信奉 (believe in <em>(religion/ principle</em>))</p>
<p>書信 (letter)</p>
<p>strokes order: <a href="http://bishun.strokeorder.info/mandarin.php?q=%E4%BF%A1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://bishun.strokeorder.info/mandarin.php?q=%E4%BF%A1</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-18T04:07:12.410Z
2019-10-18T04:38:22.867Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>Can you add an illustration please and elaborate on the strokes, each one and the detailed meaning nehind it? Ie..I have held this character close to my heart and wear it on my sleeve so to speak. Tattooed on my shoulder on my 25th birthday as a landmark or signpost to commemorate it's beauty and poetic renaissance vibration in which it is for me, unbound by any dating of self or time. In this regard it is why I ask. </p>

<p>I understand that it also means a message as in a letter or mail and delivery method as well.  A doctor of medicine said this to me in a brief passing of kindred souls communication in an honest way. </p>

<translation>
I am particularly fascinated by the Chinese character that is pronounced SHIN & means faith or belief
# I am particularly fascinated by the Chinese character that is pronounced SHIN & means faith or belief

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-10-18)

Can you add an illustration please and elaborate on the strokes, each one and the detailed meaning nehind it? Ie..I have held this character close to my heart and wear it on my sleeve so to speak. Tattooed on my shoulder on my 25th birthday as a landmark or signpost to commemorate it's beauty and poetic renaissance vibration in which it is for me, unbound by any dating of self or time. In this regard it is why I ask.

I understand that it also means a message as in a letter or mail and delivery method as well. A doctor of medicine said this to me in a brief passing of kindred souls communication in an honest way.

**Tags:** translation


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-10-18. Score: 13

I'm afraid that you are reading much too into this. There is no "meaning behind **each** stroke".

「信」(Baxter-Sagart OC: **/\*s-ni[ŋ]-s/**, *sincerity*) is composed of semantic「言」(*speech*, here vaguely hinting at *honest words*) and phonetic「人・亻」(**/\*ni[ŋ]/**).


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### Answer by username_2 on 2019-10-18. Score: 6

The character in question is: 信. This might not be the answer that you want, but this is how *Outlier* explains the character:

> **FORM**  
> 信 xìn contains the meaning component 言 “speech; words,” indicating the original meaning, “sincerity; honesty.” 亻 rén gives the sound.
>
> **COMPONENTS**  
> 亻  
> In 信 xìn, 亻 rén is a sound component, though this is not obvious in Mandarin.  
> 言  
> In 信, 言 “speech; words” is a meaning component, indicating “sincerity; honesty.”
>
> **MEANINGS**  
> Character meanings  
> xìn
>
> 1 (orig.) honesty  
> 2 → to trust, to believe
>
> 3 ⇒ person who delivers letters (i.e., a trustworthy person. Only used in ancient texts)
>
> 4 ⇒⇒ letter; correspondence
>
> 5 ⇒⇒⇒ message; information


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### Answer by username_3 on 2019-10-18. Score: 2

信 <http://www.shuowen.org/view/1519>

信 <http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/669/>

> 《說文解字注》**誠**也。
>
> 信 originally meant "honest; sincere"
>
> 从人言
>
> made up of 人(people) and 言 (words)

~

> Extended meanings 信 contains:

信(honest; sincere) --> 信(trust) --> 信(believe)

信(trust) --> 信(faithful)

信(sincere) --> 信(letter)

> Compound words with 信 as a component:

誠信 (sincerity; honesty)

信用 (trustworthiness)

守信 (trustworthy)

相信 (believe)

信任 (trust)

信心 (confidence)

忠信 (faithful)

信仰 (faith; religious belief)

信奉 (believe in *(religion/ principle*))

書信 (letter)

strokes order: <http://bishun.strokeorder.info/mandarin.php?q=%E4%BF%A1>


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