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湼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
湼nièmud, slimezg, 12 strokes, radical 氵
niè(nie4)nie T4
  1. 1mud, slime
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March 24, 2026

湼niè(nie4)

The character 湼 (niè) refers to a type of mud or slime, often associated with wet, viscous substances found in nature. It can be used in contexts related to earth, agriculture, or natural phenomena like marshes and swamps, emphasizing a sense of thickness and moisture.

Strokes12Radical氵
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese agriculture, the concept of mud is tied to rice cultivation, as muddy fields are essential for growing rice. The character 湼 evokes images of fertile lands that are vital for sustenance.

Memory Tip

Imagine a thick, sticky mud that is so wet it feels like you're walking through a swamp. The character 湼 combines the radical for water (氵) with the character for mud (捏), suggesting a blend of liquid and earth, helping you remember that it means 'mud' or 'slime' and sounds like 'niè'.

Meanings of 湼

niè(nie4)
1mud, slime
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 湼

湼Simplified
12Strokes
氵Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 湼

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Podcast: 湼

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AI Study Notes for 湼

Usage Notes

This character is relatively rare and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation, so it's often found in literary or poetic contexts. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters, and remember that it carries a more formal or descriptive register.

HSK Study Tips

Since 湼 (niè) is not included in any HSK levels, students should focus on its components and related characters like 泥 (ní, mud) and 液 (yè, liquid) to build a broader vocabulary around water and earth themes. Understanding the context in which it appears will also aid retention.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 湼 (niè) with 泥 (ní), mistakenly using 泥 when discussing any type of mud. Remember, 泥 is more general, while 湼 specifically refers to a thicker, sludgy type of mud.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 湼

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Etymology of 湼

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Semantic (meaning)氵
+
Phonetic (sound)臼
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

湼 = 氵 + 臼. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 湼

IDS Structure⿰氵⿱臼工
湼Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
臼jiu4
top
工gong1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Parts

Which of these is part of 湼?

How to say mud, slime in Chinese

“mud, slime” in Chinese is湼niè

The character 湼 (niè) refers to a type of mud or slime, often associated with wet, viscous substances found in nature. It can be used in contexts related to earth, agriculture, or natural phenomena like marshes and swamps, emphasizing a sense of thickness and moisture.

When to use 湼

This character is relatively rare and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation, so it's often found in literary or poetic contexts. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters, and remember that it carries a more formal or descriptive register.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 湼 (niè) with 泥 (ní), mistakenly using 泥 when discussing any type of mud. Remember, 泥 is more general, while 湼 specifically refers to a thicker, sludgy type of mud.

Write 湼

湼

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

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Word Family of 湼

Words Containing This Character8
涅nièto blacken
康涅狄格州Connecticut, US state
康涅狄格Connecticut, US state
勃列日涅夫Leonid Brezhnev (1906-1982), Soviet statesman, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the USSR 1966-1982
屠格涅夫Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev (1818-1883), Russian novelist
埃涅阿斯Aeneas, hero of Virgil's Aeneid
涅瓦河Nyeva or Neva River (through St Petersburg)
海涅Heinrich Heine (1797-1856), German lyric poet
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 湼

What does 涅 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 湼

The correct pronunciation is 'niè', with a falling tone.

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