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韧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
韧rèn>韧[rèn]n, 7 strokes, radical 韦, rank #36219, Very Hard
韧rènold variant of 韌n, 7 strokes, radical 韦, rank #36219, Very Hard
韧rènannealedn, 7 strokes, radical 韦, rank #36219, Very Hard
韧rènpliable but strongn, 7 strokes, radical 韦, rank #36219, Very Hard
韧rèntoughn, 7 strokes, radical 韦, rank #36219, Very Hard
韧rèntenaciousn, 7 strokes, radical 韦, rank #36219, Very Hard
韧rèntough, strong; pliablen, 7 strokes, radical 韦, rank #36219, Very Hard
rèn(ren4) T4
  1. 1>韧[rèn]
  2. 2old variant of 韌
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 韧

韧Simplified
靭Traditional
7Strokes
韦Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#36219Frequency Rank

Podcast: 韧

JasonAmy

Podcast: 韧

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

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.

Memory Mnemonic

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.

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).

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.

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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Etymology of 韧

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

Phonosemantic compound. 韦 represents the meaning and 刃 represents the sound. Simplified form of 韌.

Memory Hint

leather

Semantic (meaning)韦
+
Phonetic (sound)刃
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 韧?

Decomposition of 韧

IDS Structure⿰韦刃
韧Full Character
=
韦Wei2
left
刃ren4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 韧?

Write 韧

韧

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 7 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

Complete the Sentence

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。

rén tǐ gǔ jià shì yóu yī kào rèn dài lián jiē de xíng zhuàng xiāng yì de gǔ tóu gòu chéng。

The skeleton consists of differently shaped bones held together by ligaments.
2
虽然这不是剧烈运动，但会让人感到强健、柔韧与放松。

suī rán zhè bù shì jù liè yùn dòng， ， dàn huì ràng rén gǎn dào qiáng、 jiàn 、 róu rèn yǔ。

Although it's not strenuous exercise, you feel toned-up, supple and relaxed.
3
人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低.

rén lǎo le jī ròu de róu rèn xìng jiāng jiàng dī.

The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.
4
鲸须既韧又轻，而且强度和弹性大，这些特点使其用途广泛。

jīng xū jì rèn yòu qīng， ， ér qiě qiáng dù hé dàn xìng， dà ， zhè xiē tè diǎn shǐ qí yòng tú。

The toughness, lightness, strength, and elasticity of whalebone gave it a wide variety of uses.
5
他又高又瘦, 皮肤坚韧, 饱受风霜,而且强健有力.

tā yòu gāo yòu shòu, , pí fū jiān, rèn , bǎo shòu, fēng shuāng , ér qiě qiáng.

He was rangy, leathery, sun - baked and virile.
6
别看他那么瘦,他还真有股韧劲呢, 经过细心护理,他居然活过来了.

bié kàn tā nà mó shòu, , tā huán zhēn yǒu gǔ rèn jìn, ne , jīng guò xì xīn, hù lǐ , tā jū rán huó.

For all his lankiness he was tough, and good nursing pulled him through.
7
坚韧是通向成功的桥.

jiān rèn shì tōng xiàng chéng gōng 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。

zhè xiē biān zhī jīng měi de lán zǐ 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 zǐ shàng róu rèn yì wān qū de bù fēn, , rú biān zhuàng wù huò pí.

The flexible portion of a whip, such as a plait or thong.

Cultural Notes for 韧

🏮Cultural insight

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.

Word Family of 韧

Words Containing This Character9
韧带ligament韌帶
坚韧jiānrèntenacious堅韌
韧性rènxìngtoughness韌性
柔韧flexible柔韌
韧rènannealed韌
坚韧不拔firm and indomitable (idiom); tenacious and unyielding堅韌不拔
韧劲tenacity韌勁
强韧resilient強韌
韧皮部phloem韌皮部
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

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'.