信任 (xìnrèn) is a compound word meaning 'trust' or 'confidence' — the belief that someone or something is reliable, honest, or competent. The first character 信 (xìn) means 'truth', 'faith', or 'to believe', while 任 (rèn) originally meant 'to appoint' or 'to entrust', carrying the sense of delegation based on confidence. Together, they convey the idea of placing one’s faith in another person or institution, often implying emotional security and mutual responsibility.

This word is used both as a noun ('trust' as a concept) and as a verb ('to trust' someone). It appears frequently in interpersonal relationships, professional settings (e.g., employer–employee), education, and governance. Unlike the more casual 信赖 (xìnlài), 信任 tends to be neutral-to-formal and emphasizes rational judgment rather than emotional attachment. It’s commonly paired with verbs like 建立 (jiànlì, 'to establish'), 获得 (huòdé, 'to gain'), or 失去 (shīqù, 'to lose').