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March 24, 2026
泞(濘)nìng(ning4)
The character 泞 (nìng) refers to mud or mire, often emphasizing a state of being muddy or stagnant. It is used in contexts where water and dirt combine to create a thick, unpleasant substance, typically in outdoor settings or describing unclean conditions.
Strokes8Radical氵Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese literature, mud often symbolizes stagnation or being stuck in a difficult situation, reflecting broader themes of struggle and perseverance. This character might appear in poetry discussing nature or personal hardship.
Memory Tip
Imagine a muddy lake (湖) where the water is so thick with mud (泥) that it becomes stagnant and hard to walk through. The character 泞 looks like a water radical (氵) flowing into a pool of mud, reminding you that 'nìng' means muddy.
Meanings of 泞
nìng(ning4)
1mud, mire; muddy, stagnant
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 泞
泞Simplified
濘Traditional
8Strokes
氵Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 泞
Podcast: 泞
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AI Study Notes for 泞
Quick Contrast
泥 (ní, mud) vs 泥泞 (ní nìng, muddy/mire-like) — use 泞 when specifically emphasizing a thick, stagnant quality of mud.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a muddy lake (湖) where the water is so thick with mud (泥) that it becomes stagnant and hard to walk through. The character 泞 looks like a water radical (氵) flowing into a pool of mud, reminding you that 'nìng' means muddy.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 泞 with similar characters like 泥 (ní), which specifically means 'mud'. 泞 is more descriptive of a muddy state rather than just the substance. It is more commonly used in literary or descriptive contexts rather than daily conversation.
HSK Study Tips
Though 泞 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with words related to water (水) and mud (泥), which might be found in lower levels. Students should focus on recognizing the context in which 泞 might appear, especially in written texts.
Cultural Note
In Chinese literature, mud often symbolizes stagnation or being stuck in a difficult situation, reflecting broader themes of struggle and perseverance. This character might appear in poetry discussing nature or personal hardship.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 泞 (nìng) with 泥 (ní), which means 'mud' specifically, leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '这地方很泞' (This place is very muddy) is correct, while '这地方很泥' would be incorrect as 泥 does not describe a quality.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 泞
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Grammar Patterns of 泞
泞 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
路上不时会有吹聚起的积雪，泥____而湿滑。
Here and there a drift across the road was wet and slushy.
Example Sentences for 泞 (5)
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1
路上不时会有吹聚起的积雪，泥泞而湿滑。
lù shàng bù shí huì yǒu chuī jù qǐ de jī xuě， ， ní nìng ér shī。
Here and there a drift across the road was wet and slushy.
2
他们下了车，然后开始沿着泥泞的小路往前走。
tā mén xià le chē， ， rán hòu kāi shǐ yán zháo ní nìng de xiǎo lù wǎng qián。
They left the car and struck out along the muddy track.
3
这路太泥泞使所有前进的努力都白费劲.
zhè lù tài ní nìng shǐ suǒ yǒu qián jìn de nǔ lì dū bái fèi jìn.
The deep mud negatived all the efforts to advance.
4
我们的马沿着泥泞小路蹒跚而行。
wǒ mén de mǎ yán zháo ní nìng xiǎo lù pán shān ér háng。
Our horses plodded down the muddy track.
5
骆驼的蹄子虽然非常适合于在干沙上行走，碰到泥泞时却无计可施。
luò tuó de tí zǐ suī rán fēi cháng shì hé yú zài gān shā shàng háng zǒu， ， pèng dào ní nìng shí què wú jì kě。
The camel's feet, well adapted for dry sand, are useless on mud.
Cultural Notes for 泞
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese literature, mud often symbolizes stagnation or being stuck in a difficult situation, reflecting broader themes of struggle and perseverance. This character might appear in poetry discussing nature or personal hardship.
Word Family of 泞
Words Containing This Character2
泥泞muddy泥濘
泞nìngmuddy濘
Exercise 1 of 2
Compound Meaning
What does 泥泞 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 泞
The pronunciation is 'nìng', with a falling tone.
While 泞 primarily means 'mud', it can metaphorically describe situations that are stagnant or difficult.
No, 泞 is more often found in literary or descriptive texts rather than in everyday spoken language.
