Meaning
content; calm; still; quiet; to pacify; peace
Chinese: 平安、安定。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “an” becomes a different word in each tone. 安 is the 1st tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 安全ān quánsafe; secure; safety; security
- 晚安wǎn ānGood night!; Good evening!
- 安静ān jìngquiet; peaceful; calm
- 平安píng ānsafe and sound; well; without mishap; quiet and safe
- 一路平安yī lù píng ānto have a pleasant journey; Bon voyage!
Example Sentence
夜里非常安静。Yè lǐ fēi cháng ān jìng.It is very quiet at night.
夜里Yè lǐduring the night非常fēi chángvery安静ān jìngquiet。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
A roof (宀) over a woman (女): a woman settled safely indoors. It means ‘peace / safe / calm’.
A way to remember it
A woman at rest under a roof — at peace.
Easy to confuse with
- 字‘Character’: also a roof on top, but over 子 (child), not 女 (woman).