How to Write 息 (xī) — Meaning “To rest or breathe.”

Imagine your nose (自) above your heart (心) taking a deep breath—that is when you rest. So 息 means both “to breathe” and “to rest,” because you breathe slowly when resting.

The top part 自 should be wide and balanced, while the bottom 心 must be compressed and centered. A common mistake is making 心 too large or stretching its dots too far outward, which breaks the character’s compact look.

息 has a nose (自) over a heart (心), while 忝 has 天 (sky) over 心 and means “to disgrace.” 忞 has 文 (writing) over 心 and means “effort” or “strong.” The key difference is the top component: 自 (breath), 天 (sky), and 文 (writing) create completely different meanings.

息 appears in common words like 休息 (rest), 消息 (news), and 利息 (interest). In daily life, 休息 is used for taking a break, and 息 itself often implies a pause or calm pause, reflecting a cultural value of balance and rest.

Common words containing 息 include: 休息 (xiū xī) — To rest; to take a break; 消息 (xiāo xī) — news; information; 利息 (lì xī) — Interest (on money)..