How to Write 薪 (xīn) — Meaning “Firewood / Salary”

Imagine fresh green grass (艹) being cut as new (新) firewood, which you then exchange for your monthly salary. This links the visual of plant material to the modern idea of earning wages.

Pay special attention to the bottom part 新: on the left, write 亲 (with a dot on top of 立, and the horizontal strokes aligned), and on the right, 斤 (with the first stroke as a left-falling stroke). The overall character should be balanced, with the grass radical covering about the top third.

All three share the grass radical 艹, but the lower parts differ: 薪 uses 新 (meaning new), 蒟 uses 句 (meaning sentence), and 蒻 uses 弱 (meaning weak). Their meanings are also distinct: 薪 means firewood or salary, while 蒟 refers to a type of plant (like betel) and 蒻 refers to arrowroot or a soft plant material.

薪 is most commonly seen in words like 薪水 (salary), 加薪 (raise), and 薪资 (compensation). Culturally, the salary meaning originates from ancient China where firewood (薪) was a basic necessity often given as part of one's payment, leading to the modern concept of wages.

Common words containing 薪 include: 薪水 (xīn shuǐ) — Salary / Wages; 加薪 (jiā xīn) — get a raise; salary increase; 薪资 (xīn zī) — Salary / Compensation.