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擬 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
擬nǐto draft, to plan; to intendx, 17 strokes, radical 扌, rank #59625, Very Hard
nǐ(ni3) T3
  1. 1to draft, to plan; to intend
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

擬nǐ(ni3)

The character 擬 (nǐ) means 'to draft' or 'to plan.' It is commonly used in contexts where someone is preparing a proposal, discussing intentions, or outlining a course of action. This word can also imply a sense of imitation or suggestion, as in proposing an idea based on existing concepts.

Strokes17Radical扌Frequency#59625DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese business culture, drafting proposals is a critical step in decision-making processes, often emphasizing thoroughness and clarity. The character 擬 embodies this careful planning approach, reflecting the value placed on detailed preparation before action.

Memory Tip

Imagine you are drafting a plan for a new project. The character 擬 looks like a person (the left side) with a plan (the right side) in hand, preparing to present it. The pronunciation 'nǐ' can be remembered by associating it with the phrase 'Knee-deep in planning,' visualizing someone deeply involved in drafting.

Meanings of 擬

nǐ(ni3)
1to draft, to plan; to intend
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 擬

擬Simplified
17Strokes
扌Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 擬

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Podcast: 擬

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AI Study Notes for 擬

Quick Contrast

拟 (nǐ) vs 计划 (jì huà) — use 拟 for drafting or suggesting based on existing ideas, while 计划 emphasizes a more structured or formal plan.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 擬 with similar-sounding characters like 你 (nǐ, 'you'). It is often used in formal contexts, such as business or academic settings. Common collocations include 擬定 (nǐdìng, 'to formulate') and 擬議 (nǐyì, 'to propose').

HSK Study Tips

Although 擬 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK Level 4 words like 计划 (jìhuà, 'plan') and 提议 (tíyì, 'suggestion'). Focus on understanding its usage in drafting proposals or plans, as it can help with more complex sentence structures.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 擬 with 你 (nǐ, 'you') due to similar pronunciation. For example, using 擬 in place of 你 in sentences like '擬去哪里?' (Where are you going?) is incorrect; it should be '你去哪里?'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 擬

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Etymology of 擬

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

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 以 represents the sound. Simplified form of 擬.

Memory Hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)扌
+
Phonetic (sound)疑
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 擬

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 以 represents the sound. Simplified form of 擬.

  1. 1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half疑 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhand
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 擬? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 擬?

Decomposition of 擬

IDS Structure⿰扌疑
擬Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
疑yi2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 擬?

How to say to draft, to plan; to intend in Chinese

“to draft, to plan; to intend” in Chinese is擬nǐ

The character 擬 (nǐ) means 'to draft' or 'to plan.' It is commonly used in contexts where someone is preparing a proposal, discussing intentions, or outlining a course of action. This word can also imply a sense of imitation or suggestion, as in proposing an idea based on existing concepts.

When to use 擬

Be cautious not to confuse 擬 with similar-sounding characters like 你 (nǐ, 'you'). It is often used in formal contexts, such as business or academic settings. Common collocations include 擬定 (nǐdìng, 'to formulate') and 擬議 (nǐyì, 'to propose').

擬 or something close to it

拟 (nǐ) vs 计划 (jì huà) — use 拟 for drafting or suggesting based on existing ideas, while 计划 emphasizes a more structured or formal plan.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 擬 with 你 (nǐ, 'you') due to similar pronunciation. For example, using 擬 in place of 你 in sentences like '擬去哪里?' (Where are you going?) is incorrect; it should be '你去哪里?'.

Write 擬

擬

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 擬

Words Containing This Character20
模拟mónǐimitation模擬
拟nǐto plan to擬
虚拟xūnǐto imagine虛擬
拟定nǐdìngto draw up擬定
草拟first draft草擬
比拟to compare比擬
模拟器emulator模擬器
拟订to draw up (a plan)擬訂
拟合a (close) fit擬合
拟人personification擬人
拟议proposal擬議
拟态(biol.) mimicry擬態
虚拟机virtual machine虛擬機
拟作a pastiche擬作
研拟to investigate and plan forward研擬
摹拟imitation摹擬
拟稿to draft (a statement)擬稿
拟古to emulate a classic擬古
拟于不伦to draw an impossible comparison擬於不倫
拟古之作a pastiche擬古之作
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 模拟 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 擬

While 计划 refers specifically to a plan or schedule, 擬 emphasizes the act of drafting or proposing that plan.

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