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瑙 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
瑙nǎoagate, corneliannrt, 13 strokes, radical 王, rank #37616, Very Hard
nǎo(nao3)nao T3
  1. 1agate, cornelian
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March 24, 2026

瑙nǎo(nao3)

瑙 (nǎo) refers to a type of gemstone, specifically agate or cornelian. These stones are often used in jewelry and decorative art, and the term suggests qualities of durability and beauty. It's used primarily in contexts related to gemstones, jewelry design, and sometimes in traditional Chinese art.

Strokes13Radical王Frequency#37616DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, gemstones like 瑙 are often associated with wealth, beauty, and status. They are commonly used in traditional jewelry and are believed to have protective properties in Feng Shui.

Memory tip

Imagine a beautiful agate stone glistening in the sunlight, its layers resembling the character 瑙. The '瑙' looks like a gem '石' (stone) with a beautiful pattern, and you can think of 'nǎo' as 'noble' to remember its value.

Meanings of 瑙

nǎo(nao3)
1agate, cornelian
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 瑙 means.

About 瑙

瑙Simplified
13Strokes
王Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 瑙

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Podcast: 瑙

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AI study notes for 瑙

Usage Notes

瑙 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more relevant in specialized contexts like jewelry or geology. Learners should be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words or characters. It typically appears in formal or artistic discussions rather than casual speech.

HSK Study Tips

瑙 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists but is relevant for learners interested in cultural aspects like gemstones. Students at this level should focus on recognizing the character's components and understanding its context in discussions about art and materials.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 瑙 with 皓 (hào), which means bright or white. A common mistake is using 瑙 in a casual context; for example, saying '我喜欢瑙' (I like agate) instead of discussing it in a more appropriate context like jewelry or art.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 瑙

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Etymology of 瑙

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

jade

Semantic (meaning)王
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 瑙?

Decomposition of 瑙

IDS Structure⿰王⿱巛囟
瑙Full character
=
王Wang2
left
巛chuan1
top
囟xin4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Parts

Which of these is part of 瑙?

How to say agate, cornelian in Chinese

“agate, cornelian” in Chinese is瑙nǎo

瑙 (nǎo) refers to a type of gemstone, specifically agate or cornelian. These stones are often used in jewelry and decorative art, and the term suggests qualities of durability and beauty. It's used primarily in contexts related to gemstones, jewelry design, and sometimes in traditional Chinese art.

When to use 瑙

瑙 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more relevant in specialized contexts like jewelry or geology. Learners should be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words or characters. It typically appears in formal or artistic discussions rather than casual speech.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 瑙 with 皓 (hào), which means bright or white. A common mistake is using 瑙 in a casual context; for example, saying '我喜欢瑙' (I like agate) instead of discussing it in a more appropriate context like jewelry or art.

Write 瑙

瑙

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

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Grammar patterns of 瑙

瑙 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 2

Fill the gap

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

它的疆域包括东阿尔卑斯山的一部分和多____河流域的一部分.

Its territory includes part of the eastern Alps as well as of the Danube basin.

Example sentences for 瑙 (2)

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1
它的疆域包括东阿尔卑斯山的一部分和多瑙河流域的一部分.

tā de jiāng yù bāokuò dōng Ā ěr bēi Sī shān de yībùfen hé duō nǎo héliú yù de yībùfen.

Its territory includes part of the eastern Alps as well as of the Danube basin.
2
他率领他们北上攻打生活在多瑙河畔的部族.

tā shuàilǐng tāmen běi shàng gōng dǎ shēnghuó zài duō nǎo hépàn de bù zú.

He led it the far north and attacked the tribes that lived the River Danube.

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Word Family of 瑙

Words containing this character6
玛瑙mǎnǎoagate瑪瑙
多瑙河duōnǎohéDanube
瑙nǎoagate
瑙鲁nǎolǔNauru, island country in the southwestern Pacific瑙魯
多瑙duōnǎothe Danube
马瑙斯mǎnǎosīManaus (city in Brazil)馬瑙斯
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 瑙

What does 玛瑙 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 瑙

瑙 means agate or cornelian, referring to a type of gemstone.

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