辛
contributes the sense of a cutting blade and the punishment · Kangxi radical 160
contributes the sense of a cutting blade and the punishment, guilt and sharp pain that come with it, and often just supplies sound
辛 was originally a picture of a narrow-bladed knife or chisel of the kind used to tattoo or brand criminals and slaves — a handle on top, a wedge-shaped point below. In the modern form you can still read that shape from the top down: the wide 立-like part is the handle and crossbar, and the vertical stroke through the bottom cross is the blade driven downward. That harsh instrument explains 妾, a branded woman kept as a concubine, 宰 the butcher who cuts under a roof, 辜 guilt that earns punishment, and 辣 the stinging, knife-like burn of chili. In 辨, 辩 and 辫 a doubled 辛 (辡) mainly carries the sound, and in 锌 zinc it is purely phonetic.
辛 at a glance
- Meaning
- contributes the sense of a cutting blade and the punishment
- Strokes
- 7
- Characters
- 21
- Role
- Contributes meaning and sound
- Kangxi radical
- 160
Characters with 辛 (15 of 21)
HSK 4 · 1
HSK 6 · 5
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 辛 mean?
辛 means "contributes the sense of a cutting blade and the punishment". In the characters that contain it, it contributes meaning and sound.
How many Chinese characters contain 辛?
21 characters in this dictionary contain 辛, including ones at HSK 4, HSK 5, HSK 6.
Is 辛 a radical?
Yes — 辛 is Kangxi radical 160, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 辛 have?
辛 is written in 7 strokes.