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兴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
兴Xīngsurname XingHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴Xīngto riseHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴Xīngto flourishHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴Xīngto become popularHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴Xīngto startHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴Xīngto encourageHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴Xīngto get upHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴Xīng(often used in the negative) to permit or allow (dialect)HSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴Xīngmaybe (dialect)HSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴Xīngfeeling or desire to do sthHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴Xīnginterest in sthHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴XīngexcitementHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴Xīngto thrive, to prosper, to flourishHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴xìngsurname XingHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴xìngto riseHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴xìngto flourishHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴xìngto become popularHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴xìngto startHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴xìngto encourageHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴xìngto get upHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴xìng(often used in the negative) to permit or allow (dialect)HSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴xìngmaybe (dialect)HSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴xìngfeeling or desire to do sthHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴xìnginterest in sthHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴xìngexcitementHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
兴xìngto thrive, to prosper, to flourishHSK 2, v, 6 strokes, radical 八, rank #8238, Hard
Xīng(Xing1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1to rise
  2. 2to flourish
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
兴(興)Xīng(Xing1)

The character 兴 (xīng) primarily means 'to rise,' 'to flourish,' or 'to become popular.' It is often used in contexts relating to growth, interest, or encouragement, and can also imply the act of starting something new. Additionally, in certain dialects, it may convey a sense of permission or possibility, particularly in negative constructions.

Strokes6Radical八Frequency#8238DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of flourishing (兴) is often associated with business prosperity and personal success, making it a common term in discussions about economic growth or personal development.

Memory Tip

Imagine a flower (representing flourishing) rising up towards the sun, with the character 兴 resembling a person stretching upwards. The 'X' in 'Xīng' can remind you of 'eXcite,' linking the character to feelings of enthusiasm and interest.

Meanings of 兴

Xīng(Xing1)
primary
1to rise
2to flourish
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 兴

兴Simplified
興Traditional
6Strokes
八Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#8238Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2

Podcast: 兴

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Podcast: 兴

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AI Study Notes for 兴

Quick Contrast

兴 (xīng) vs 兴起 (xīngqǐ) — use 兴 when referring to general flourishing or popularity, while 兴起 specifically implies the act of rising up or emerging.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a flower (representing flourishing) rising up towards the sun, with the character 兴 resembling a person stretching upwards. The 'X' in 'Xīng' can remind you of 'eXcite,' linking the character to feelings of enthusiasm and interest.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 兴 with similar characters like 兴趣 (xìngqù, interest) and 兴旺 (xīngwàng, thriving). It is generally informal but can be used in formal contexts when discussing growth or encouragement. Pay attention to the tone; a mispronunciation could change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

As an intermediate-level character, 兴 connects with other HSK vocabulary related to emotions and growth, such as 兴趣 (xìngqù, interest) and 兴旺 (xīngwàng, prosperous). Focus on its various meanings and how it can be used as a verb in different contexts.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of flourishing (兴) is often associated with business prosperity and personal success, making it a common term in discussions about economic growth or personal development.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 兴 with its noun form 兴趣 (xìngqù) and might mistakenly use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我有兴' (wǒ yǒu xīng) instead of '我有兴趣' (wǒ yǒu xìngqù) to express 'I have interest' is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 兴

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Etymology of 兴

Explanation

Depicts four hands (舁) working together (同) to raise something. The simplified character 兴 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 興.

Learn more about character formation (六书)

Decomposition of 兴

IDS Structure⿳⺍一八
兴Full Character
=
⺍xiao3
top
一yi1
middle
八ba1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 兴?

Write 兴

兴

Practice writing 兴 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 兴

兴 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 13 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

他很高____。

He is very happy.

Example Sentences for 兴 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他宣称道：“我为自己的所作所为感到兴奋不已。”

tā xuān chēng dào：“ ：“ wǒ wéi zì jǐ de suǒ zuò suǒ wéi gǎn dào xīng fèn bù。”

"I'm absolutely thrilled to have done what I've done," he declared.
2
这个晚上最让人高兴的就是精彩的焰火表演。

zhè gè wǎn shàng zuì ràng rén gāo xīng de jiù shì jīng cǎi de yàn huǒ biǎo yǎn。

The most pleasurable experience of the evening was the wonderful fireworks display.
3
你好，伯纳德！见到你真高兴。

nǐ hǎo， ， bó nà！ dé ！ jiàn dào nǐ zhēn。

Good day to you, Bernard! It's a positive delight to see you.
4
亲爱的内维尔，我真太为你高兴了。

qīn ài de nèi wéi ěr， ， wǒ zhēn tài wéi nǐ gāo xīng。

Darling Neville, I couldn't be more pleased for you.
5
新鲜事物的魅力一定让你兴奋不已。

xīn xiān shì wù de mèi lì yī dìng ràng nǐ xīng fèn bù yǐ。

You must be feeling exhilarated by the call of the new.
6
“很高兴见到你，”迈克尔说。“我也是，”玛丽·安说。

“ “ hěn gāo xīng jiàn dào，” nǐ ，” mài kè。“ ěr shuō 。“，” wǒ yě· shì ，”。

"Nice to meet you," said Michael. "Same here," said Mary Ann.
7
你从很小的时候就对下棋产生了浓厚兴趣。

nǐ cóng hěn xiǎo de shí hòu jiù duì xià qí chǎn shēng le nóng hòu xīng qù。

You've had chess on the brain since you were little.
8
如果你炒我鱿鱼，我就再也高兴不起来了。

rú guǒ nǐ chǎo wǒ yóu yú， ， wǒ jiù zài yě gāo xīng bù qǐ lái。

If you take my work away I can'tbe happy anymore.
9
他们的兴趣完全是围绕着他们的职业。

tā mén de xīng qù wán quán shì wéi rào zháo tā mén de zhí yè。

Their interests were completely bound up in their careers.
10
我真高兴看到你又回到了属于你自己的天地。

wǒ zhēn gāo xīng kàn dào nǐ yòu huí dào le shǔ yú nǐ zì jǐ de tiān dì。

I'm so glad to see you back where you belong.

Cultural Notes for 兴

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of flourishing (兴) is often associated with business prosperity and personal success, making it a common term in discussions about economic growth or personal development.

Word Family of 兴

Compounds3
举ju3variant of 舉
誉yu4reputation
挙
Words Containing This Character20
高兴gāoxìnghappy高興
兴趣xìngqùhobby興趣
兴奋xīngfènexcited興奮
兴Xīngto rise興
感兴趣gǎnxìngqùto be interested感興趣
新兴xīnxīngemerging新興
兴建xīngjiànto build興建
有兴趣interested有興趣
兴起xīngqǐto rise興起
振兴zhènxīngto revive振興
复兴fùxīngFuxing district of Handan city 邯鄲市|邯郸市[Hán​dān​shì], Hebei復興
中兴resurgence中興
兴奋剂xīngfènjìstimulant興奮劑
兴致xìngzhìmood興致
绍兴Shaoxing prefecture level city in Zhejiang紹興
即兴impromptu即興
兴办to begin興辦
尽兴to enjoy oneself to the full盡興
扫兴sǎoxìngto feel disappointed掃興
兴旺xīngwàngprosperous興旺
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 举 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 兴

Common phrases include 兴趣 (xìngqù, interest) and 兴旺 (xīngwàng, prosperous).