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March 24, 2026
泥ní(ni2)
The character 泥 (ní) primarily refers to mud or clay, substances often found in natural environments. It can also imply a thick paste or pulp, commonly used in construction or pottery. In a more nuanced context, it suggests something that is restrained or held back, reflecting its physical properties.
Strokes8Radical氵Frequency#4090DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese pottery, clay is a vital material, symbolizing creativity and craftsmanship. The use of mud in artistic practices reflects not only practical applications but also cultural heritage, as seen in famous pottery regions like Jingdezhen.
Memory Tip
Imagine a potter shaping a bowl out of soft, wet mud (泥). The character has the water radical (氵) on the left, symbolizing the wetness of mud, while the right side (泥) looks like a person working with this clay, connecting the sound 'ní' with the image of creating something from earth.
Meanings of 泥
ní(ni2)
primary
1mud
2clay
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 泥
泥Simplified
8Strokes
氵Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#4090Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 泥
Podcast: 泥
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AI Study Notes for 泥
Quick Contrast
泥 (ní, mud) vs 土 (tǔ, soil) — use 泥 when referring to wet, soft mud, while 土 refers to dry, loose earth.
Usage Notes
泥 (ní) is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in discussions about construction or art. Learners should avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words like '你' (nǐ) which means 'you.' Common collocations include 泥土 (nítǔ, 'soil') and 泥巴 (níbā, 'mud').
HSK Study Tips
While 泥 is not currently listed in the HSK vocabulary, it relates to other words at the beginner level, especially those involving nature and materials. Students should focus on the radicals to enhance their understanding of related terms like 土 (tǔ, 'earth').
Common Mistakes
Learners often mix up 泥 with other characters that have similar sounds, leading to sentences like '我喜欢泥' (Wǒ xǐhuān nǐ) which incorrectly means 'I like you' instead of 'I like mud.' Always ensure you're using the correct context and character.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 泥
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Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 尼 represents the sound.
1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
2The sound half尼 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaywater
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 泥? 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 泥?
Decomposition of 泥
IDS Structure⿰氵尼
泥Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
尼ni2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 泥?
How to say mud in Chinese
“mud” in Chinese is泥ní
The character 泥 (ní) primarily refers to mud or clay, substances often found in natural environments. It can also imply a thick paste or pulp, commonly used in construction or pottery. In a more nuanced context, it suggests something that is restrained or held back, reflecting its physical properties.
When to use 泥
泥 (ní) is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in discussions about construction or art. Learners should avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words like '你' (nǐ) which means 'you.' Common collocations include 泥土 (nítǔ, 'soil') and 泥巴 (níbā, 'mud').
泥 or something close to it
泥 (ní, mud) vs 土 (tǔ, soil) — use 泥 when referring to wet, soft mud, while 土 refers to dry, loose earth.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mix up 泥 with other characters that have similar sounds, leading to sentences like '我喜欢泥' (Wǒ xǐhuān nǐ) which incorrectly means 'I like you' instead of 'I like mud.' Always ensure you're using the correct context and character.
Write 泥
泥
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Practice writing 泥 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 泥
泥 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
Complete the Sentence
我的双手、靴子和裤子上都沾满了____巴。
My hands, boots and trousers were plastered with mud.
Example Sentences for 泥 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我的双手、靴子和裤子上都沾满了泥巴。
wǒ de shuāng shǒu、 、 xuē zǐ hé kù zǐ shàng dū zhān mǎn le ní。
My hands, boots and trousers were plastered with mud.
2
从山上冲刷下来的泥土就要让水电大坝淤塞了。
cóng shān shàng chōng shuā xià lái de ní tǔ jiù yào ràng shuǐ diàn dà bà yū sāi le。
The soil washed from the hills is silting up the hydroelectric dams.
3
最近的一场雨把瀑布搅成了泥水漩涡。
zuì jìn de yī cháng yǔ bǎ pù bù jiǎo chéng le ní shuǐ xuán wō。
The recent rain had churned up the waterfall into a muddy whirlpool.
