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攮 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
攮nǎngto fend off; to stabv, 25 strokes, radical 扌
nǎng(nang3) T3
  1. 1to fend off; to stab
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

攮nǎng(nang3)

The character 攮 (nǎng) refers to the action of fending off or stabbing. It is often used in contexts that involve defense or attack, such as self-defense in martial arts or in discussions about protection. The nuance of this word can imply both physical actions as well as metaphorical ones, such as fending off criticism.

Strokes25Radical扌
Cultural Note

In Chinese martial arts, the idea of fending off attackers is not only physical but also philosophical, emphasizing the importance of balance and control in both combat and life.

Memory Tip

Imagine a ninja (the radical 攴) using a sharp weapon to fend off attackers. The sharp stabbing action can remind you of the 'n' sound in 'ninja' and the sharp 'ang' sound in 'stab' to remember the pronunciation 'nǎng'.

Meanings of 攮

nǎng(nang3)
1to fend off; to stab
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 攮

攮Simplified
25Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 攮

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Podcast: 攮

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AI Study Notes for 攮

Usage Notes

This term can be informal in usage, often appearing in martial arts contexts. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding words or using it in overly formal contexts where a simpler term would suffice. Ensure that the tone is correct—nǎng is pronounced with a falling tone.

HSK Study Tips

While 攮 is not part of the HSK curriculum, it connects with other action verbs at higher levels. Students should focus on the context of actions and their implications, which can deepen their understanding of verbs in Chinese.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 攮 with 刺, as both involve stabbing actions. For example, saying '我想要去刺他' (I want to stab him) instead of '我想要去攮他' (I want to fend him off) can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 攮

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Etymology of 攮

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

hand

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 攮

  1. 1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half囊 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 攮? 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 攮?

Decomposition of 攮

IDS Structure⿰扌囊
攮Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
囊nang2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 攮?

How to say to fend off; to stab in Chinese

“to fend off; to stab” in Chinese is攮nǎng

The character 攮 (nǎng) refers to the action of fending off or stabbing. It is often used in contexts that involve defense or attack, such as self-defense in martial arts or in discussions about protection. The nuance of this word can imply both physical actions as well as metaphorical ones, such as fending off criticism.

When to use 攮

This term can be informal in usage, often appearing in martial arts contexts. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding words or using it in overly formal contexts where a simpler term would suffice. Ensure that the tone is correct—nǎng is pronounced with a falling tone.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 攮 with 刺, as both involve stabbing actions. For example, saying '我想要去刺他' (I want to stab him) instead of '我想要去攮他' (I want to fend him off) can lead to misunderstandings.

Write 攮

攮

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

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Word Family of 攮

Words Containing This Character1
攮nǎngto stab
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 攮 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 攮

Words like 刺 (cì - to stab) and 防 (fáng - to defend) may have similar meanings but differ in context.

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