Definitions

to trust; to believe in

Etymology

Depicts a hand () capturing a child (). In ancient times during war, the victors would kill the enemy's adult men and capture only the women and children. Based on the original meaning "captive", now written as .

About

The character 孚 is structured with 爪 positioned above 子, a composition that pictorially suggests a hand over a child, originally denoting the act of hatching or brooding. This imagery conveyed care and incubation, from which the meaning extended to represent reliability and conviction. Over centuries, its semantic focus shifted from physical nurturing to abstract trust, solidifying its modern sense of being trustworthy or convincing, as seen in compounds like 信孚. The graphical form has maintained this arrangement without alteration, and its etymological roots continue to inform its contemporary usage.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

先生来了。

Wáng Fú xiānsheng lái le.

Mr. Wang Fu has arrived.

他的信赢得了尊重。

Tā de xìn fú yíngdé le zūnzhòng.

His trustworthiness won respect.

这个政策深众望。

Zhè ge zhèngcè shēn fú zhòng wàng.

This policy deeply enjoys popular confidence.

他的行为未众望。

Tā de xíngwéi wèi fú zhòng wàng.

His behavior did not live up to expectations.

公司领导深员工信任。

Gōngsī lǐngdǎo shēn fú yuángōng xìnrèn.

The company leadership deeply earns the trust of employees.

只有诚信才能人。

Zhǐyǒu chéngxìn cáinéng fú rén.

Only integrity can make people trust.

他的诺言始终未

Tā de nuòyán shǐzhōng wèi fú.

His promises have never been convincing.

这项成就足以众。

Zhè xiàng chéngjiù zúyǐ fú zhòng.

This achievement is enough to win public trust.