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韧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
韧
rèn
annealed
n, 7 strokes, radical 韦, rank #36219, Very Hard
韧
rèn
pliable but strong
n, 7 strokes, radical 韦, rank #36219, Very Hard
韧
rèn
tough
n, 7 strokes, radical 韦, rank #36219, Very Hard
韧
rèn
tenacious
n, 7 strokes, radical 韦, rank #36219, Very Hard
韧
rèn
tough, strong; pliable
n, 7 strokes, radical 韦, rank #36219, Very Hard
韧
rèn
old variant of 韌
n, 7 strokes, radical 韦, rank #36219, Very Hard
rèn(ren4)ren T4
1annealed
2pliable but strong
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March 24, 2026
韧(靭)rèn(ren4)
韧 (rèn) refers to a quality of being both tough and pliable, often used to describe materials or people who demonstrate resilience. In common usage, it can refer to physical properties of materials like rubber or metal, as well as metaphorically describing a person's tenacity in difficult situations.
Strokes7Radical韦Frequency#36219DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, resilience and toughness are highly valued traits, often celebrated in literature and philosophy. The concept of '韧' embodies the idea of enduring hardships and emerging stronger, reflecting traditional Chinese values.
Memory tip
Think of '韧' as a tough yet flexible rubber band. The left side of the character, '韦', can remind you of the strong 'wires' in the rubber band, while the right side, '刃', represents the sharp edge of resilience. Together, they depict the balance between strength and flexibility.
Meanings of 韧
rèn(ren4)
1annealed
2pliable but strong
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 韧 means.
About 韧
韧Simplified
靭Traditional
7Strokes
韦Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#36219Frequency Rank
Podcast: 韧
Podcast: 韧
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AI study notes for 韧
Quick Contrast
韧 (rèn) vs 坚 (jiān) — use 韧 for qualities of toughness combined with flexibility, while 坚 refers strictly to hardness or firmness.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse '韧' with similar characters that have different meanings, such as '任' (rèn, to appoint). This word is generally used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in discussions about materials or character traits. For collocations, you might encounter phrases like '韧性材料' (tough materials).
HSK Study Tips
Although '韧' is not listed in the HSK levels, it connects to the HSK vocabulary of materials and qualities. Students should focus on its usage in describing resilience, which aligns with other words about strength and ability like '坚强' (jiānqiáng, strong).
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse '韧' with '任' due to similar pronunciation. For example, saying '我很任' (wǒ hěn rèn) incorrectly suggests 'I am very appointed,' while it should be '我很韧' to mean 'I am very resilient.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 韧
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 韧 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
韧 = 韦 + 刃. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 韧
IDS Structure⿰韦刃
韧Full character
=
韦Wei2
left
刃ren4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 韧?
How to say annealed in Chinese
“annealed” in Chinese is韧rèn
韧 (rèn) refers to a quality of being both tough and pliable, often used to describe materials or people who demonstrate resilience. In common usage, it can refer to physical properties of materials like rubber or metal, as well as metaphorically describing a person's tenacity in difficult situations.
When to use 韧
Be careful not to confuse '韧' with similar characters that have different meanings, such as '任' (rèn, to appoint). This word is generally used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in discussions about materials or character traits. For collocations, you might encounter phrases like '韧性材料' (tough materials).
韧 or something close to it
韧 (rèn) vs 坚 (jiān) — use 韧 for qualities of toughness combined with flexibility, while 坚 refers strictly to hardness or firmness.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse '韧' with '任' due to similar pronunciation. For example, saying '我很任' (wǒ hěn rèn) incorrectly suggests 'I am very appointed,' while it should be '我很韧' to mean 'I am very resilient.'
Write 韧
韧
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Practice writing 韧 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 韧
韧 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
人体骨架是由依靠____带连接的形状相异的骨头构成。
The skeleton consists of differently shaped bones held together by ligaments.
Example sentences for 韧 (9)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
人体骨架是由依靠韧带连接的形状相异的骨头构成。
réntǐ gǔjià shì yóu yīkào rèn dài liánjiē de xíngzhuàng Xiāng yì de gǔtou gòuchéng。
The skeleton consists of differently shaped bones held together by ligaments.
bié kàn tā nàme shòu, tā hái zhēn yǒu gǔ rèn jìn ne, jīngguò xìxīn hùlǐ, tā jūrán huó guòlái le.
For all his lankiness he was tough, and good nursing pulled him through.
7
坚韧是通向成功的桥.
jiānrèn shì tōng xiàng chénggōng de qiáo.
Tenacity is the bridge to success.
8
这些编织精美的篮子是用柔韧的云杉嫩树根编成的。
zhèxiē biānzhī jīngměi de lán zi shì yòng róu rèn de yún shān nèn shù gēn biān chéng de。
The finely twined baskets are made with young, pliable spruce roots.
9
鞭梢鞭子上柔韧易弯曲的部分, 如鞭状物或皮鞭.
biān shāo biān zi shàng róu rèn yì wānqū de bùfen, rú biān zhuàng wù huò pí biān.
The flexible portion of a whip, such as a plait or thong.
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Word Family of 韧
Words containing this character9
韧带rèndàiligament韌帶
坚韧jiānrèntenacious堅韌
韧性rènxìngtoughness韌性
柔韧róurènflexible柔韌
韧rènannealed韌
坚韧不拔jiānrènbùbáfirm and indomitable (idiom); tenacious and unyielding堅韌不拔
韧劲rènjìntenacity韌勁
强韧qiángrènresilient強韌
韧皮部rènpíbùphloem韌皮部
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 韧
What does 韧带 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 韧
You might say '他的性格很韧', meaning 'His character is very resilient'.
'韧' is more commonly found in written Chinese, especially in technical contexts, but can also be used in spoken language when discussing personal qualities.
Synonyms include '坚韧' (jiān rèn) and '强韧' (qiáng rèn), both of which convey a sense of strength and resilience.
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