Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
疒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
疒nèsickness, diseasex, 5 strokes, radical 疒
疒nèsickunknown, 5 strokes, radical 疒
疒nèKang Xi radical 104unknown, 5 strokes, radical 疒
疒nèalso pr. [chuang2]unknown, 5 strokes, radical 疒
nè(ne4)ne T4
  1. 1sickness, disease
  2. 2sick
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

疒nè(ne4)

The character 疒 (nè) refers to sickness or disease and is often used as a radical in other characters related to health, illness, or medical conditions. It reflects a state of being unwell or the concept of ailments in general, commonly appearing in terms like '疾病' (jíbìng, disease) and '疼痛' (téngtòng, pain).

Strokes5Radical疒
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of illness encompasses not only physical symptoms but also emotional and spiritual factors, making the character 疒 significant in discussions about health and wellness in Chinese culture.

Memory tip

Imagine a person lying in bed, looking sick, with the character 疒 resembling a person curled up in discomfort. The character's form, which suggests illness, can be associated with the sound 'nè' like a groan of someone unwell.

Meanings of 疒

nè(ne4)
1sickness, disease
2sick
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 疒 means.

About 疒

疒Simplified
5Strokes
疒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 疒

JasonAmy

Podcast: 疒

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI study notes for 疒

Usage Notes

This character is primarily used in formal contexts and might not be as common in everyday conversation. Learners should be aware that it often appears as a radical in other characters, which can influence pronunciation and meaning. For example, in '病' (bìng, illness), the 疒 radical indicates a relationship to sickness.

HSK Study Tips

While 疒 is not an HSK vocabulary word on its own, it is relevant for HSK 3 and 4 students as they encounter more complex characters related to health. Focus on recognizing it as a radical and understanding its contribution to meanings in compound words.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse the pronunciation of 疒 with similar-sounding characters. For instance, they might mistakenly say 'nà' instead of 'nè'. It's important to practice the correct tonal pronunciation to avoid misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 疒

Premium — Locked

Tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 疒, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsPitch drawing+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 疒 to you

Let me explain 疒 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 疒 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

How well do you know 疒?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 疒 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 疒

Explanation

Pictograph of a stretcher for sick people.

Learn more about character formation (六书)
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 疒?

Decomposition of 疒

IDS Structure⿻广冫
疒Full character
=
广Guang3
outer
冫bing1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 疒?

How to say sickness, disease in Chinese

“sickness, disease” in Chinese is疒nè

The character 疒 (nè) refers to sickness or disease and is often used as a radical in other characters related to health, illness, or medical conditions. It reflects a state of being unwell or the concept of ailments in general, commonly appearing in terms like '疾病' (jíbìng, disease) and '疼痛' (téngtòng, pain).

When to use 疒

This character is primarily used in formal contexts and might not be as common in everyday conversation. Learners should be aware that it often appears as a radical in other characters, which can influence pronunciation and meaning. For example, in '病' (bìng, illness), the 疒 radical indicates a relationship to sickness.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse the pronunciation of 疒 with similar-sounding characters. For instance, they might mistakenly say 'nà' instead of 'nè'. It's important to practice the correct tonal pronunciation to avoid misunderstandings.

Write 疒

疒

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 疒?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

Word Family of 疒

Words containing this character1
疒nèsick

Frequently asked questions about 疒

The character is pronounced as 'nè', but it can also be pronounced as 'chuang' when used in specific words.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 疒?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab