How to Write 邢 (xíng) — Meaning “Xing (a surname or place name).”

Imagine a hill (阝) with an open gate (开) at its base, and a person named Mr. Xing walks through it. This pairs the visual of the character with the sound of xíng. Alternatively, think of "Xing" opening a path on a mound.

First write the left radical 阝 with two strokes: a horizontal fold then a vertical stroke downward. Then write the right part 开 with four strokes: horizontal, horizontal, left-falling, vertical. A common mistake is making the left radical too wide or the right part too narrow — keep the left slim and the right balanced. Also ensure the top of 开 is not written as a single long line.

邢 (xíng) has the left radical 阝 and right part 开, while 邓 (dèng) has the right radical 阝 and left part 又, and 邗 (hán) has the left radical 阝 and right part 干. Visually, 邢's right side is "open" (开), 邓's left side is "again" (又), and 邗's right side is "dry" (干). In usage, all are surnames or place names, but 邢 is more common as a surname.

邢 is primarily used as a surname (e.g., 邢先生, Mr. Xing) and in the name of the city 邢台 (Xingtai) in Hebei Province. It is not in the HSK list, so learners encounter it mostly in names or geography. Historically, 邢 was an ancient state during the Zhou dynasty, which adds cultural depth to the character.

Common words containing 邢 include: 邢先生 (xíng xiān shēng) — Mr. Xing.; 邢台 (xíng tái) — Xingtai (a city in China).; 姓邢 (xìng xíng) — Surname Xing.