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匿 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
匿nìto hide; to go into hidingvg, 10 strokes, radical 匸, rank #29918, Very Hard
nì(ni4)ni T4
  1. 1to hide; to go into hiding
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March 24, 2026

匿nì(ni4)

The character 匿 (nì) means to hide or to go into hiding. It is often used in contexts where someone or something is concealed or kept out of sight, suggesting a sense of secrecy or protection from discovery.

Strokes10Radical匸Frequency#29918DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of going into hiding can relate to historical figures who sought refuge during times of political unrest, highlighting the importance of safety and discretion in society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a ninja (which sounds like 'nì') hiding behind a wall (the radical 匚 represents a box or enclosure). This visual of a stealthy figure concealing themselves helps connect the sound and meaning of the character.

Meanings of 匿

nì(ni4)
1to hide; to go into hiding
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 匿

匿Simplified
10Strokes
匸Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 匿

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Podcast: 匿

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AI Study Notes for 匿

Quick Contrast

潜 (qián) - use 匿 when emphasizing secrecy or protection from discovery, while 潜 focuses on the act of submerging or being hidden without the connotation of concealment from others.

Usage Notes

匿 is generally used in more formal or literary contexts, so learners should be cautious when using it in casual conversation. Common collocations include 匿藏 (nìcáng - to hide away) and 匿迹 (nìjì - to go into hiding). Pay attention to the tone as 'nì' can be easily confused with other similarly pronounced characters.

HSK Study Tips

Although not included in the HSK levels, understanding 匿 can enrich your vocabulary related to concealment and secrecy. Focus on related words like 隐藏 (yǐncáng - to conceal) to grasp the broader concept of hiding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 匿 (nì) with similar-sounding characters like 你 (nǐ - you). An incorrect sentence might be '我匿你' (I hide you), which is incorrect. Instead, use '我把它匿起来' (I hide it).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 匿

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Etymology of 匿

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

box

Semantic (meaning)匸
+
Phonetic (sound)若
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

匿 = 匸 + 若. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 匿

IDS Structure⿷匸若
匿Full Character
=
匸xi4
enclosing
若ruo4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 匿?

How to say to hide; to go into hiding in Chinese

“to hide; to go into hiding” in Chinese is匿nì

The character 匿 (nì) means to hide or to go into hiding. It is often used in contexts where someone or something is concealed or kept out of sight, suggesting a sense of secrecy or protection from discovery.

When to use 匿

匿 is generally used in more formal or literary contexts, so learners should be cautious when using it in casual conversation. Common collocations include 匿藏 (nìcáng - to hide away) and 匿迹 (nìjì - to go into hiding). Pay attention to the tone as 'nì' can be easily confused with other similarly pronounced characters.

匿 or something close to it

潜 (qián) - use 匿 when emphasizing secrecy or protection from discovery, while 潜 focuses on the act of submerging or being hidden without the connotation of concealment from others.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 匿 (nì) with similar-sounding characters like 你 (nǐ - you). An incorrect sentence might be '我匿你' (I hide you), which is incorrect. Instead, use '我把它匿起来' (I hide it).

Write 匿

匿

Practice writing 匿 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 匿

匿 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 5

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

那些____名电话的恶毒语气很令他吃惊。

He was surprised by the venomous tone of the anonymous calls.

Example Sentences for 匿 (6)

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1
那些匿名电话的恶毒语气很令他吃惊。

nà xiē nì míng diàn huà de è dú yǔ qì hěn líng tā chī jīng。

He was surprised by the venomous tone of the anonymous calls.
2
她是个自尊心很强的人，绝不会自贬身份去写匿名信。

tā shì gè zì zūn xīn hěn qiáng de rén， ， jué bù huì zì biǎn shēn fèn qù xiě nì míng。

She's got too much dignity to descend to writing anonymous letters.
3
另外还有许多姓麦克格隆高的, 他们是那个古老的, 被放逐的 、 匿名的 、 两手涂满鲜血的部族.

lìng wài huán yǒu xǔ duō xìng mài kè gé lóng gāo de, , tā mén shì nà gè gǔ lǎo, de , bèi fàng、 zhú de 、、 nì míng de 、 liǎng shǒu tú mǎn xiān.

Here , too , were many of that old, proscribed, nameless, red - handed clan of the Macgregors.
4
“ 怎么, 难道到处都藏金匿银 吗 ? ”

“ “ zěn, mó , nán dào dào chǔ dū cáng jīn nì?”

" Why, is it hid all around? "
5
他感谢上帝，因为上帝在自作聪明的人面前自行隐匿，在心地纯洁的人面前则显现神迹。

tā gǎn xiè shàng dì， ， yīn wéi shàng dì zài zì zuò cōng míng de rén miàn qián zì háng yǐn， nì ， zài xīn dì chún jié de rén miàn qián zé xiǎn xiàn。

He thanked God for concealing Himself from the wise and revealing Himself to the simple.
6
最新的照片以匿名方式寄到了该杂志的巴黎总部。

zuì xīn de zhào piàn yǐ nì míng fāng shì jì dào le gāi zá zhì de bā lí zǒng bù。

The latest photographs were sent anonymously to the magazine's Paris headquarters.

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Word Family of 匿

Words Containing This Character7
匿名nìmínganonymous
藏匿cángnìto cover up
隐匿to cover up隱匿
销声匿迹to lie low銷聲匿跡
匿nìto hide
匿迹to go into hiding匿跡
匿报to withhold information匿報
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 匿

What does 匿名 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 匿

No, it's more common in written or formal contexts rather than in daily speech.

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