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March 24, 2026
腻(膩)nì(ni4)
The character 腻 (nì) primarily refers to a greasy or oily texture, often used to describe food that is rich or overly fatty. It can also express feelings of boredom or fatigue towards something that has become too familiar or repetitive, such as a relationship or an activity.
Strokes13Radical⺼Frequency#8411DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, dishes can be described as 腻 when they are excessively rich or oily, which is often viewed unfavorably, especially in traditional health-conscious dining. This reflects the cultural emphasis on balance and moderation in food.
Memory Tip
Imagine a sticky, greasy pan that you can't clean, illustrating the 'slippery' feeling of being tired of something. The left part of 腻 resembles a belly, suggesting fullness, while the right part hints at smoothness — both representing the heaviness of being too close or intimate with something.
Meanings of 腻
nì(ni4)
1greasy
2soft
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 腻
腻Simplified
膩Traditional
13Strokes
⺼Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#8411Frequency Rank
Podcast: 腻
Podcast: 腻
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AI Study Notes for 腻
Quick Contrast
腻 (nì) vs 厌 (yàn) — choose 腻 for describing a greasy texture or feeling of boredom specifically related to familiarity, while 厌 conveys a stronger sense of aversion or disgust.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a sticky, greasy pan that you can't clean, illustrating the 'slippery' feeling of being tired of something. The left part of 腻 resembles a belly, suggesting fullness, while the right part hints at smoothness — both representing the heaviness of being too close or intimate with something.
Usage Notes
Be cautious when using 腻 in different contexts; it can describe both physical textures and emotional states. Common collocations include 腻味 (nì wèi, 'greasy taste') and 腻了 (nì le, 'tired of'). Note that it is generally used in informal contexts.
HSK Study Tips
While 腻 is not currently part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with other food-related terms and expressions of familiarity. Focus on its dual meanings and practice using it in sentences to express both physical and emotional states.
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, dishes can be described as 腻 when they are excessively rich or oily, which is often viewed unfavorably, especially in traditional health-conscious dining. This reflects the cultural emphasis on balance and moderation in food.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 腻 with similar sounding words like 念 (niàn, 'to miss') due to pronunciation. Remember, 腻 relates to greasiness and being tired of something, while 念 relates to thoughts and memories.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 腻
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Grammar Patterns of 腻
腻 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. 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
一团油____的黑色烟雾飘到悬崖顶上。
A pall of oily black smoke drifted over the cliff-top.
Example Sentences for 腻 (10)
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1
一团油腻的黑色烟雾飘到悬崖顶上。
yī tuán yóu nì de hēi sè yān wù piāo dào xuán yá dǐng shàng。
A pall of oily black smoke drifted over the cliff-top.
2
池塘表面有一层黏腻腻的污泥。
chí táng biǎo miàn yǒu yī céng nián nì nì de wū ní。
There was an unappealing film of slime on top of the pond.
3
她细腻光滑、美丽白皙的脖子上戴着一条精致的链子。
tā xì nì guāng huá、 、 měi lì bái xī de bó zǐ shàng dài zháo yī tiáo jīng zhì de liàn。
She wore a fine chain about her alabaster neck.
4
她和哈里恋爱的各阶段写得非常细腻深刻。
tā hé hā lǐ liàn ài de gè jiē duàn xiě dé fēi cháng xì nì shēn kè。
The stages in her love affair with Harry are perceptively written.
5
安娜努力装出感兴趣的样子。实际上，她腻烦透了。
ān nà nǔ lì zhuāng chū gǎn xīng qù de yàng zǐ。 。 shí jì， shàng ， tā nì fán。
Anna tried to look interested. Actually, she was bored stiff.
Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam.
9
关于肯尼迪家族性丑闻的新闻标题都让我读得腻烦了。
guān yú kěn ní dí jiā zú xìng chǒu wén de xīn wén biāo tí dū ràng wǒ dú dé nì fán le。
I'm sick of reading headlines involving the Kennedys in sex scandals.
10
男主人公的性格刻画得非常细腻.
nán zhǔ rén gōng de xìng gé kè huà dé fēi cháng xì nì.
The character of the hero is depicted to a nicety.
Cultural Notes for 腻
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese cuisine, dishes can be described as 腻 when they are excessively rich or oily, which is often viewed unfavorably, especially in traditional health-conscious dining. This reflects the cultural emphasis on balance and moderation in food.
Word Family of 腻
Words Containing This Character13
腻nìgreasy膩
细腻xìnìexquisite細膩
油腻yóunìgrease油膩
猫腻shenanigans貓膩
腻味tired of膩味
腻歪lovey-dovey膩歪
腻烦bored膩煩
滑腻(of skin) satiny滑膩
腻子hanger-on膩子
肥腻greasy肥膩
腻人greasy膩人
烦腻fed up煩膩
厌腻to detest厭膩
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 腻 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 腻
No, 腻 can also describe feelings of being tired of or bored with something, such as relationships or repetitive tasks.
It is primarily used in informal contexts, so it’s best suited for casual conversations.
You can say '这个菜太腻了' (zhè ge cài tài nì le) which means 'This dish is too greasy.'
