How to Write 靳 (jìn) — Meaning “Jin (a surname) / to restrain”

Imagine a strict man named Mr. Jin (靳) who uses a leather strap (革) to tie down an axe (斤) so no one can use it. This picture helps you recall both the surname and the idea of restraint.

The left part 革 has 9 strokes: write the horizontal top, then the vertical through the center, then the left and right sides. The right part 斤 has 4 strokes — make sure the vertical stroke is straight and the entire character is balanced. A common mistake is making the left side too wide or the right side uneven.

All three share the 革 radical, but 靳 has 斤 on the right, while 靴 has 化 (meaning boot) and 靶 has 巴 (meaning target). Visually, the right side is the key difference. In usage, 靳 is a surname or means "to restrain," whereas 靴 is "boot" and 靶 is "target" or "aim."

Today, 靳 is almost exclusively used as a Chinese surname, such as in 靳先生 (Mr. Jin). It appears very rarely as a verb meaning "to restrain" in ancient texts or formal writing. Culturally, it is a common family name, and you might recognize it from famous people like actor Jin Dong.

Common words containing 靳 include: 靳先生 (jìn xiān shēng) — Mr. Jin; 靳惜 (jìn xī) — To grudge / to be stingy with; 靳固 (jìn gù) — Firmly fixed / restrained.