How to Write 嬴 (yíng) — Meaning “To win; surplus; a surname”

Imagine the first emperor 嬴政 (Ying Zheng) as a woman (女) who has conquered death (亡), commands with his mouth (口), rules under the moon (月), and controls ordinary people (凡). This mnemonic links every component to the powerful emperor, making it easier to recall the complex shape. Also remember that the bottom 女 must support all the top parts, like a strong base.

Start by writing the top part in order: 亡 (dot, horizontal, left-falling, vertical hook), then 口 (enclosure), then 月 (left vertical, horizontal, horizontal, right vertical), then 凡 (horizontal, vertical, horizontal, dot). Finish with the bottom 女 (left-falling, right-falling, horizontal). A common mistake is making the 女 too small or writing the 月 too wide, so keep the top compact and the bottom wide to balance the character.

Unlike 嫖 and 嫘, which have the 女 radical on the left and a right-side component (票 for 嫖, 累 for 嫘), 嬴 has its components stacked vertically above the 女. Visually, 嬴 is tall and narrow, while 嫖 and 嫘 are wider left-right structures. Meaning-wise, 嬴 is a surname and means 'to win', 嫖 means 'to visit prostitutes' or 'flashy', and 嫘 is used in the name 嫘祖 (Leizu, a legendary figure).

Today, 嬴 is rarely used in everyday writing because the simplified character 赢 (with 贝 bottom) has taken over the meaning 'to win'. 嬴 survives mainly as a historical surname, especially for 嬴政 (Ying Zheng), the first emperor of China. You will mostly encounter 嬴 in classical texts, historical dramas, or discussions about the Qin dynasty, not in modern newspapers or conversations.

Common words containing 嬴 include: 姓嬴 (xìng yíng) — Surname Ying; 嬴政 (yíng zhèng) — Ying Zheng (the first emperor of Qin); 嬴氏 (yíng shì) — The Ying clan; the Ying family.