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縈 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
縈yíngto coil, to entangle, to entwinex, 16 strokes, radical 糸
yíng(ying2) T2
  1. 1to coil, to entangle, to entwine
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March 24, 2026

縈yíng(ying2)

The character 縈 (yíng) means to coil or entwine something. It often describes the action of wrapping, twisting, or entangling, and can be used in both literal contexts, like ropes or vines, and metaphorical contexts, such as feelings or memories that linger or are intertwined.

Strokes16Radical糸
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese poetry, the imagery of intertwining often symbolizes deep connections and lingering emotions. For example, the concept of love being intertwined with fate is a recurring theme in classic literature.

Memory Tip

Imagine a vine (the radical 糸) coiling around a tree. The sound 'yíng' can remind you of 'wring,' as if you are wringing out a wet cloth, entangling the water within. Visualize a tightly wrapped rope that symbolizes the strong connection between two objects or feelings.

Meanings of 縈

yíng(ying2)
1to coil, to entangle, to entwine
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 縈

縈Simplified
16Strokes
糸Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 縈

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Podcast: 縈

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AI Study Notes for 縈

Quick Contrast

缠 (chán) - use 縈 (yíng) when emphasizing a gentle or lingering coiling, while 缠 (chán) suggests a tighter or more binding entanglement.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 縈 with similar characters like 影 (yǐng, shadow) due to their similar sounds. This character is more commonly used in literary contexts rather than in everyday speech, so it might be considered somewhat formal. Common collocations include 縈绕 (yíng rào, to coil around) and 縈思 (yíng sī, to dwell on or ponder).

HSK Study Tips

Though 縈 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects with other words like 纠缠 (jiū chán, to entangle) that describe similar actions. Focus on understanding its usage in literary contexts and practice constructing sentences that express entanglement or intertwining ideas.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 縈 in informal contexts where simpler words like 缠 (chán, to twine) would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我縈着这件事' (Wǒ yíng zhe zhè jiàn shì) instead of '我缠着这件事' (Wǒ chán zhe zhè jiàn shì) can sound overly formal.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 縈

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Etymology of 縈

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

thread

Semantic (meaning)糸
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 縈

  1. 1The meaning half糸 carries the sense.
  2. 2The giveawaythread
  3. 3On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 縈? 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 縈?

Decomposition of 縈

IDS Structure⿱⿱炏冖糸
縈Full Character
=
炏kai4
top
冖mi4
bottom
糸mi4
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 縈?

How to say to coil, to entangle, to entwine in Chinese

“to coil, to entangle, to entwine” in Chinese is縈yíng

The character 縈 (yíng) means to coil or entwine something. It often describes the action of wrapping, twisting, or entangling, and can be used in both literal contexts, like ropes or vines, and metaphorical contexts, such as feelings or memories that linger or are intertwined.

When to use 縈

Be careful not to confuse 縈 with similar characters like 影 (yǐng, shadow) due to their similar sounds. This character is more commonly used in literary contexts rather than in everyday speech, so it might be considered somewhat formal. Common collocations include 縈绕 (yíng rào, to coil around) and 縈思 (yíng sī, to dwell on or ponder).

縈 or something close to it

缠 (chán) - use 縈 (yíng) when emphasizing a gentle or lingering coiling, while 缠 (chán) suggests a tighter or more binding entanglement.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 縈 in informal contexts where simpler words like 缠 (chán, to twine) would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我縈着这件事' (Wǒ yíng zhe zhè jiàn shì) instead of '我缠着这件事' (Wǒ chán zhe zhè jiàn shì) can sound overly formal.

Write 縈

縈

Practice writing 縈 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 縈

Words Containing This Character3
萦绕to linger on縈繞
萦yíngwind around縈
魂牵梦萦to miss魂牽夢縈
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 萦绕 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 縈

No, it is more frequently found in literary or poetic contexts.

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