How to Write 虔 (qián) — Meaning “Pious; sincere.”

Imagine a tiger (虍) bowing respectfully before a sacred text (文) to show its pious devotion. This visual of a fierce tiger humbling itself helps recall the meaning of sincerity and reverence.

Pay attention to the top part 虍: the horizontal stroke should be slightly longer than the bottom part, and the hook at the end of the curved stroke must be clear. The bottom 文 should be centered under the tiger radical, with the cross stroke balanced and not too wide.

虏 (lǔ, captive/capture) has the same tiger radical but a different bottom (力, strength), focusing on taking prisoners. 虐 (nüè, cruel/tyrannical) uses a reversed 虍-like top with ⺈ (knife) below, implying violent oppression. In contrast, 虔 emphasizes pious sincerity with 文 (culture) below.

虔 is most commonly used in formal or religious contexts, especially in the word 虔诚 (qián chéng, devout/pious) to describe deep religious faith or sincere respect. It also appears in phrases like 虔心 (qián xīn, with a sincere heart) and 虔敬 (qián jìng, reverent), often related to Buddhist, Taoist, or folk rituals.

Common words containing 虔 include: 虔诚 (qián chéng) — Pious; devout.; 虔心 (qián xīn) — Devoutly; with a sincere heart.; 虔敬 (qián jìng) — Reverent; pious..