How to Write 禁 (jīn/jìn) — Meaning “To prohibit; to forbid; ban.”

Q: What is a good memory technique to remember 禁?

Imagine a forest (林) with a warning sign (示) that says 'Forbidden! No entry!' This visual of a sign in the trees helps you recall that 禁 means 'to prohibit' or 'ban'.

Q: What are writing tips for 禁, especially stroke order and common mistakes?

Write the top part 林 first as left (木) then right (木), each with 4 strokes, then the bottom 示 with 5 strokes. Be careful not to make the bottom 示 too wide; the vertical line should align with the center of the two trees above.

Q: How can I distinguish 禁 from similar characters like 票 and 祭?

禁 has the radical 示 (spirit/show) under 林 (forest), meaning 'forbid'. 票 has 示 under 西 (west), meaning 'ticket'. 祭 has 示 under 肉 (meat) and a hand, meaning 'sacrifice' or 'worship'. Focus on the top component to tell them apart visually.

Q: In modern Chinese, how is 禁 used and are there any cultural notes?

禁 appears in common words like 禁止 (jìn zhǐ) meaning 'to prohibit' and 禁令 (jìn lìng) meaning 'ban'. A cultural note: in China, you often see 禁止 signs in public places such as 禁止吸烟 (no smoking) or 禁止拍照 (no photography).

Q: What common words use 禁?

Common words containing 禁 include: 禁止 (jìn zhǐ) — To prohibit; to forbid.; 禁令 (jìn lìng) — Prohibition; ban; injunction.; 情不自禁 (qíng bù zì jīn) — cannot help but.

jīn/jìn HSK Level 4 13 strokes Radical: 示

禁 (jīn/jìn) means "To prohibit; to forbid; ban." in Chinese. It has 13 strokes with the radical 示, and is HSK Level 4.

Rated 4.2/5 in difficulty (advanced).

Harder than 82% of HSK Level 4 characters.

Appears in 4+ common words including 禁止 (jìn zhǐ), 禁令 (jìn lìng), 情不自禁 (qíng bù zì jīn).

Due to its 13 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 禁 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 禁 (jīn/jìn)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 禁 with real-time feedback.

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How to Write 禁

The character 禁 (jīn/jìn) is written with 13 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 示 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does jīn/jìn (禁) Mean in Chinese?

禁 means To prohibit; to forbid; ban..

This is a polyphonic character with readings: jīn, jìn.

As an HSK Level 4 character, 禁 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	禁
Pinyin	jīn / jìn (jin)
Meaning	To prohibit; to forbid; ban.
Strokes	13
Radical	示
HSK Level	4
Difficulty	4.2/5

Origin of 禁

禁 combines 示 (altar, divine sign) and 林 (forest), originally referring to a sacred grove where entry was forbidden. The character thus visually depicts a place marked by divine prohibition, linking the forest with a warning sign.

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine two trees (林) with a large 'DO NOT ENTER' sign (示) hanging between them, blocking the path.

Common Words with 禁

禁止 jìn zhǐ

To prohibit; to forbid.

禁令 jìn lìng

Prohibition; ban; injunction.

情不自禁 qíng bù zì jīn

cannot help but

禁受 jīn shòu

To endure, stand, or bear.

Example Sentences

公园里张贴着显眼的禁止践踏草坪的标语。

gōng yuán lǐ zhāng tiē zhe xiǎn yǎn de jìn zhǐ jiàn tà cǎo píng de biāo yǔ

There are conspicuous signs in the park saying "Keep off the grass."

市政府发布了在禁烟区吸烟的严厉禁令。

shì zhèng fǔ fā bù le zài jìn yān qū xī yān de yán lì jìn lìng

The city government issued a strict ban on smoking in non-smoking areas.

看到精彩的表演，观众们情不自禁地鼓起掌来。

kàn dào jīng cǎi de biǎo yǎn guān zhòng men qíng bù zì jīn dì gǔ qǐ zhǎng lái

Seeing the wonderful performance, the audience couldn't help but burst into applause.

这棵老松树禁受住了无数次暴风雪的洗礼。

zhè kē lǎo sōng shù jīn shòu zhù liǎo wú shù cì bào fēng xuě de xǐ lǐ

This old pine tree has withstood the test of countless snowstorms.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
禁 (current)	jīn / jìn	13	示
票	piào	11	示
祭	jì	11	示
禀	bǐng	13	示

Practice Writing 禁 (jīn/jìn)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 禁 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 禁

What is the structure of 禁 and how does it relate to its meaning?

禁 is composed of two parts: the top part 林 (meaning 'forest') and the bottom part 示 (meaning 'to show' or 'spirit'). Together, they suggest a sign in a forest forbidding entry, linking to the meaning 'to prohibit'.

What is a good memory technique to remember 禁?

What are writing tips for 禁, especially stroke order and common mistakes?

How can I distinguish 禁 from similar characters like 票 and 祭?

In modern Chinese, how is 禁 used and are there any cultural notes?

What common words use 禁?

How to Write 禁 (jīn/jìn) — Meaning “To prohibit; to forbid; ban.”

Practice Writing 禁 (jīn/jìn)

How to Write 禁

What Does jīn/jìn (禁) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 禁

Common Words with 禁

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 禁 (jīn/jìn)

Frequently Asked Questions about 禁

More HSK Level 4 Characters

Characters with Radical 示

Other 13-Stroke Characters