Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
糯 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
糯nuòglutinous rice; sticky, viscousn, 20 strokes, radical 米, rank #52504, Very Hard
糯nuòsticky riceunknown, 20 strokes, radical 米, rank #52504, Very Hard
nuò(nuo4) T4
  1. 1glutinous rice; sticky, viscous
  2. 2sticky rice
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

糯(稬)nuò(nuo4)

糯 (nuò) refers to glutinous rice, a type of rice that is sticky and often used in Chinese cuisine for dishes like rice dumplings and mochi. It can also describe something that is sticky or viscous in texture. This character is commonly encountered in culinary contexts, especially when discussing traditional foods.

Strokes20Radical米Frequency#52504DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

糯米 is essential in many traditional Chinese festivals, such as the Dragon Boat Festival, where it is used to make zongzi (sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves. This reflects the cultural importance of food in Chinese celebrations.

Memory Tip

Imagine a bowl filled with sticky, glistening rice. The character 糯 resembles a rice grain (米) under a layer of glue (糸), emphasizing its sticky nature. Visualize the rice being used in a sweet dessert, helping you remember both the pronunciation 'nuò' and the meaning.

Meanings of 糯

nuò(nuo4)
1glutinous rice; sticky, viscous
2sticky rice
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 糯

糯Simplified
稬Traditional
20Strokes
米Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 糯

JasonAmy

Podcast: 糯

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 糯

Quick Contrast

粳 (jīng) - choose 糯 when referring specifically to glutinous rice, while 粳 refers to non-sticky rice varieties.

Usage Notes

糯 is often used in formal culinary contexts, so it's important to use it appropriately when discussing food. A common mistake is confusing it with other types of rice; ensure you know it specifically refers to glutinous rice. Collocations include 糯米 (sticky rice) and 糯米团 (sticky rice dumpling).

HSK Study Tips

This character is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list but is useful for learners focusing on food-related terminology. Connecting it to other food terms like 米 (rice) and 饭 (meal) can enhance vocabulary retention.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 糯 with other rice types; for example, saying '米饭' when they mean '糯米'. Ensure you specify '糯米' when referring to glutinous rice.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 糯

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 糯 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 糯

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

Phonosemantic compound. 米 represents the meaning and 需 represents the sound. Simplified form of 稬.

Memory Hint

rice

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 糯

Phonosemantic compound. 米 represents the meaning and 需 represents the sound. Simplified form of 稬.

  1. 1The meaning half米 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half需 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayrice
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 糯? 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 糯?

Decomposition of 糯

IDS Structure⿰米需
糯Full Character
=
米Mi3
left
需xu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 糯?

How to say glutinous rice; sticky, viscous in Chinese

“glutinous rice; sticky, viscous” in Chinese is糯nuò

糯 (nuò) refers to glutinous rice, a type of rice that is sticky and often used in Chinese cuisine for dishes like rice dumplings and mochi. It can also describe something that is sticky or viscous in texture. This character is commonly encountered in culinary contexts, especially when discussing traditional foods.

When to use 糯

糯 is often used in formal culinary contexts, so it's important to use it appropriately when discussing food. A common mistake is confusing it with other types of rice; ensure you know it specifically refers to glutinous rice. Collocations include 糯米 (sticky rice) and 糯米团 (sticky rice dumpling).

糯 or something close to it

粳 (jīng) - choose 糯 when referring specifically to glutinous rice, while 粳 refers to non-sticky rice varieties.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 糯 with other rice types; for example, saying '米饭' when they mean '糯米'. Ensure you specify '糯米' when referring to glutinous rice.

Write 糯

糯

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 糯

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, 'sticky rice' is often seen as a novelty, while in China, it is a staple ingredient in many traditional dishes, highlighting a different culinary perspective.

Word Family of 糯

Words Containing This Character4
糯米glutinous rice
糯nuòsticky rice
糯稻glutinous rice
糯米纸rice paper糯米紙
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 糯米 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 糯

糯米 (glutinous rice) is sticky and used for specific dishes, while 普通米 (ordinary rice) is less sticky and used in everyday meals.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 糯?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.