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March 24, 2026
柠(檸)níng(ning2)
The character 柠 (níng) refers specifically to 'lemon,' a citrus fruit known for its tart flavor. It is commonly used in culinary contexts, such as cooking, beverages, and flavoring. In addition to its literal meaning, it can also symbolize freshness and zest in various expressions.
Strokes9Radical木Frequency#27719DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, lemons are often associated with health benefits and are used in traditional remedies. They are also popular in modern cuisine, especially in drinks and desserts, reflecting a blend of traditional and contemporary culinary practices.
Memory Tip
Imagine a lemon with a bright yellow color. The character 柠 has the radical '木' (tree) on the left, suggesting that lemons grow on trees. Picture a lemon tree bursting with juicy lemons, making it easy to remember 'níng' as the sound associated with this refreshing fruit.
Meanings of 柠
níng(ning2)
1lemon
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 柠
柠Simplified
檸Traditional
9Strokes
木Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 柠
Podcast: 柠
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AI Study Notes for 柠
Quick Contrast
柠 (níng) vs 橙 (chéng) — use 柠 for 'lemon' specifically, while 橙 refers to 'orange.'
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 柠 (níng) with similar-sounding characters or words related to other citrus fruits, such as 橙 (chéng) for 'orange.' It is typically used in informal contexts, especially in food-related discussions, and is often paired with words like '汁' (juice) or '水' (water) to describe lemon-flavored drinks.
HSK Study Tips
Although 柠 is not included in the official HSK levels, it can be useful for learners at HSK 2 or 3 when discussing food. Focus on recognizing how it fits into conversations about cooking and beverages, as well as practice using it in simple sentences.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is using 柠 (níng) interchangeably with other citrus words like 橙 (chéng) or 葡萄 (pútáo), which means 'grape.' Remember that 柠 specifically denotes 'lemon,' so it should be used only in contexts related to that fruit.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 柠
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Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 宁 represents the sound. Simplified form of 檸.
1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
2The sound half宁 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaytree
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 柠? 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 柠?
Decomposition of 柠
IDS Structure⿰木宁
柠Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
宁Ning2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 柠?
How to say lemon in Chinese
“lemon” in Chinese is柠níng
The character 柠 (níng) refers specifically to 'lemon,' a citrus fruit known for its tart flavor. It is commonly used in culinary contexts, such as cooking, beverages, and flavoring. In addition to its literal meaning, it can also symbolize freshness and zest in various expressions.
When to use 柠
Learners often confuse 柠 (níng) with similar-sounding characters or words related to other citrus fruits, such as 橙 (chéng) for 'orange.' It is typically used in informal contexts, especially in food-related discussions, and is often paired with words like '汁' (juice) or '水' (water) to describe lemon-flavored drinks.
柠 or something close to it
柠 (níng) vs 橙 (chéng) — use 柠 for 'lemon' specifically, while 橙 refers to 'orange.'
What learners get wrong
A common mistake is using 柠 (níng) interchangeably with other citrus words like 橙 (chéng) or 葡萄 (pútáo), which means 'grape.' Remember that 柠 specifically denotes 'lemon,' so it should be used only in contexts related to that fruit.
Write 柠
柠
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Practice writing 柠 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 柠
柠 carries one core meaning. 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
麦圭尔举起瓶子咕咚咕咚地喝了一大通苦____檬汁。
McGuire took a long swig from his bottle of bitter lemon.
