Meanings of 衲
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About 衲
Podcast: 衲
Podcast: 衲
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AI Study Notes for 衲
This character is often used in more formal contexts related to sewing and religious garments. A common mistake is to confuse 衲 with similar characters that relate to clothing but have different meanings, such as 裤 (kù, pants) or 衣 (yī, clothes). Pay attention to the tones and context.
Although 衲 is not part of the standard HSK curriculum, it connects to other words regarding clothing and textiles. Students should focus on recognizing the radical 衤 and understanding its implications in various contexts.
Learners often confuse 衲 with the character 衣 (yī) which means 'clothes.' For example, saying '我在做衣' (Wǒ zài zuò yī, 'I am making clothes') instead of '我在做衲' (Wǒ zài zuò nà, 'I am mending').
Pronunciation of 衲
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Etymology of 衲
cloth
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 衲
- 1The meaning half衤 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half内 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaycloth
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 衲? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 衲
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How to say to sew, to mend; quilt; patch; cassock in Chinese
“to sew, to mend; quilt; patch; cassock” in Chinese is衲
The character 衲 (nà) primarily means 'to sew' or 'to mend.' It is often used in contexts related to textiles, such as patching clothes or making quilts. Additionally, it can refer to a type of robe worn by Buddhist monks, known as a cassock.
When to use 衲
This character is often used in more formal contexts related to sewing and religious garments. A common mistake is to confuse 衲 with similar characters that relate to clothing but have different meanings, such as 裤 (kù, pants) or 衣 (yī, clothes). Pay attention to the tones and context.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 衲 with the character 衣 (yī) which means 'clothes.' For example, saying '我在做衣' (Wǒ zài zuò yī, 'I am making clothes') instead of '我在做衲' (Wǒ zài zuò nà, 'I am mending').
Write 衲
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Practice writing 衲 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 衲
Compound Meaning
What does 衲 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 衲
While 衲 specifically refers to sewing or mending clothing, 縫 (féng) is a more general term for sewing and can apply to various contexts, including stitching fabric together.
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