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捻 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
捻niǎnto twist or nip with the fingerszg, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #31752, Very Hard
捻niǎnto twirl (in the fingers)unknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #31752, Very Hard
niǎn(nian3) T3
  1. 1to twist or nip with the fingers
  2. 2to twirl (in the fingers)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

捻niǎn(nian3)

The character 捻 (niǎn) means to twist or nip something using your fingers, often implying a gentle or careful action. It is commonly used in contexts like crafting, cooking, or manipulating small objects, where precision and dexterity are important.

Strokes11Radical扌Frequency#31752DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of twisting or shaping objects by hand is often associated with traditional crafts, such as making dumplings or weaving, emphasizing the importance of skill and artistry in daily life.

Memory Tip

Imagine a nimble hand 'twisting' a piece of string or a small object between the fingers. The left part of the character, 捻, can be visualized as a hand (扌) holding something tightly, while the right side (年) suggests something being actively handled or manipulated, like the passing of time.

Meanings of 捻

niǎn(nian3)
1to twist or nip with the fingers
2to twirl (in the fingers)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 捻

捻Simplified
11Strokes
扌Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 捻

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Podcast: 捻

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AI Study Notes for 捻

Quick Contrast

捏 (niē) - use 捻 when the action is more about twisting gently, while 捏 emphasizes pinching or pressing.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 捻 with similar verbs like 拿 (ná, to take) or 握 (wò, to grip), as they imply different actions. This word is generally used in informal contexts, and it can collocate with objects you can twist or manipulate, such as food or threads. The third tone (niǎn) can be tricky; ensure you pronounce it correctly to avoid misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 捻 is not in the official HSK vocabulary list, it connects well with other HSK words related to actions and manipulation, such as 拿 (ná) and 握 (wò). Focus on mastering its usage in practical contexts to reinforce your understanding of verbs related to hand movements.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 捻 to imply a stronger action like 抓 (zhuā, to grab), instead of its gentle twisting meaning. A wrong example would be saying '我捻住了他的手' (I twisted his hand), which should be corrected to '我抓住了他的手' (I grabbed his hand).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 捻

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Etymology of 捻

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

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 念 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

hand

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 捻

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 念 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half念 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhand
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 捻? 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 捻?

Decomposition of 捻

IDS Structure⿰扌念
捻Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
念nian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 捻?

How to say to twist or nip with the fingers in Chinese

“to twist or nip with the fingers” in Chinese is捻niǎn

The character 捻 (niǎn) means to twist or nip something using your fingers, often implying a gentle or careful action. It is commonly used in contexts like crafting, cooking, or manipulating small objects, where precision and dexterity are important.

When to use 捻

Be careful not to confuse 捻 with similar verbs like 拿 (ná, to take) or 握 (wò, to grip), as they imply different actions. This word is generally used in informal contexts, and it can collocate with objects you can twist or manipulate, such as food or threads. The third tone (niǎn) can be tricky; ensure you pronounce it correctly to avoid misunderstandings.

捻 or something close to it

捏 (niē) - use 捻 when the action is more about twisting gently, while 捏 emphasizes pinching or pressing.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 捻 to imply a stronger action like 抓 (zhuā, to grab), instead of its gentle twisting meaning. A wrong example would be saying '我捻住了他的手' (I twisted his hand), which should be corrected to '我抓住了他的手' (I grabbed his hand).

Write 捻

捻

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 捻

捻 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

“好吧，”我边说边紧张不安地把香烟在花岗岩台阶上____灭。

"Well," I said, grinding my cigarette nervously into the granite step.

Example Sentences for 捻 (5)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
“好吧，”我边说边紧张不安地把香烟在花岗岩台阶上捻灭。

“ “ hǎo，” bā ，” wǒ biān shuō biān jǐn zhāng bù ān dì bǎ xiāng yān zài huā gǎng yán tái jiē shàng。

"Well," I said, grinding my cigarette nervously into the granite step.
2
“ 不行, ” 姓吴的忧愁地说;但随即咽住了,捻着唇边仅有的几根二三分长的髭须.

“ “ bù,” háng , ” xìng wú de yōu chóu; dì shuō ; dàn suí jí, yān zhù le , niǎn zháo chún biān jǐn yǒu de jī gēn èr sān fēn.

" Bad,'said Wu looking worried and toying with his moustache.
3
我捻亮了灯.

wǒ niǎn liàng le dēng.

I turned up the lamp.
4
黑根灵机一动,把手一甩,同时把手指捻得劈啪劈啪作响.

hēi gēn líng jī yī dòng, , bǎ shǒu yī, shuǎi , tóng shí bǎ shǒu zhǐ niǎn dé pī pā pī pā.

Hagen snapped his fingers. " That detective , that guy Phillips.
5
埃斯特拉达从法衣里取出一串念珠，用一只手捻动起来。

āi sī tè lā dá cóng fǎ yī lǐ qǔ chū yī chuàn niàn zhū， ， yòng yī zhī shǒu niǎn dòng qǐ。

Estrada took a rosary from his tunic and ran the beads through the fingers of one hand.

Word Family of 捻

Words Containing This Character2
捻niǎnto twirl (in the fingers)
捻军Nien Army, leading a peasant rebellion against Qing dynasty in Northern China from 1851-1868, at the same time as the Taiping Rebellion in South China捻軍
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 捻 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 捻

Common collocations include 捻线 (niǎn xiàn, to twist thread) and 捻指 (niǎn zhǐ, to twirl fingers).

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