How to Write 亲 (qīn/qìng) — Meaning “parent; relative; close; dear”

Imagine a parent standing (立) next to a tree (木) to be close to their child playing under it. The parent is 'dear' and 'close' to the child, linking the character's components to its meaning. This mental image helps you recall that 亲 means close or relative.

Write the top part 立 first: dot, horizontal, dot, left-falling stroke, then a final horizontal line. Then add the bottom 木: horizontal, vertical, left-falling, right-falling. A common mistake is making the horizontal stroke of 立 too long or forgetting the dot in 立, so keep the top compact and center the bottom 木 under it.

亲 (qīn) has bottom 木 (tree) and means close or dear, while 竖 (shù) has bottom 豆 (bean) and means vertical or upright. 竘 (qǔ) is rare and refers to a type of tree, not used in daily language. Visually, 亲 and 竖 share the top 立, but their bottoms are distinct: wood vs. bean.

亲 is commonly used in words for family (亲人) and close relationships (亲近). It also appears as a term of endearment in letters or online shopping, like 亲爱的 (dear) or 亲 (qīn) as a friendly greeting. Note that the word 亲家 (qìng jia) refers to the parents of one's child's spouse, showing a special family connection.

Common words containing 亲 include: 亲人 (qīn rén) — Family members / Relatives; 亲近 (qīn jìn) — To get close to / Intimate; 亲家 (qìng jia) — relatives by marriage (parents of one's child's spouse).