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膩 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
膩nìgreasy, oily, smooth; bored, tiredx, 16 strokes, radical ⺼
nì(ni4)ni T4
  1. 1greasy, oily, smooth; bored, tired
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March 24, 2026

膩nì(ni4)

The character 膩 (nì) primarily means 'greasy' or 'oily,' often used to describe food that is rich in fat. Additionally, it can convey a sense of being bored or tired of something, reflecting a feeling of excess or saturation in contexts such as food or experiences.

Strokes16Radical⺼
Cultural note

In Chinese cuisine, dishes that are too greasy can be frowned upon, as they are often associated with poor health. The concept of moderation is essential in Chinese dining culture, making 膩 particularly relevant in discussions about food choices.

Memory tip

Think of 膩 as 'Nicky' who overindulged in greasy food, leading to a feeling of boredom. The radical 肉 (ròu) signifies meat, suggesting a fatty or oily nature, while the pronunciation 'nì' sounds like 'knee'—imagine your knee getting tired after too much rich food.

Meanings of 膩

nì(ni4)
1greasy, oily, smooth; bored, tired
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 膩

膩Simplified
16Strokes
⺼Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 膩

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Podcast: 膩

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AI study notes for 膩

Quick Contrast

腻 (nì) vs 油腻 (yóunì) — use 膩 (nì) for a broader sense of greasiness or saturation, while 油腻 (yóunì) specifically emphasizes greasy or oily food.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the context; 膩 is not commonly used in formal settings. It often collocates with words like 'food' or 'experience.' A common mistake is using it for all types of oils; instead, reserve it for describing something overly rich or indulgent.

HSK Study Tips

While 膩 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding its components can help with other characters related to food and sensation. Focus on the radical 肉 and how it connects to fat-related terms, enhancing your vocabulary in culinary contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 膩 with 油腻 (yóunì), which is a more common term for greasy. For example, saying '这道菜很膩' (zhè dào cài hěn nì) might be understood, but '油腻' would be more appropriate. Make sure to use 膩 in the right context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 膩

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Etymology of 膩

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

flesh

Semantic (meaning)⺼
+
Phonetic (sound)貳
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

膩 = ⺼ + 貳. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 膩

IDS Structure⿰⺼貳
膩Full character
=
⺼rou4
left
貳er4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 膩?

How to say greasy, oily, smooth; bored, tired in Chinese

“greasy, oily, smooth; bored, tired” in Chinese is膩nì

The character 膩 (nì) primarily means 'greasy' or 'oily,' often used to describe food that is rich in fat. Additionally, it can convey a sense of being bored or tired of something, reflecting a feeling of excess or saturation in contexts such as food or experiences.

When to use 膩

Be cautious with the context; 膩 is not commonly used in formal settings. It often collocates with words like 'food' or 'experience.' A common mistake is using it for all types of oils; instead, reserve it for describing something overly rich or indulgent.

膩 or something close to it

腻 (nì) vs 油腻 (yóunì) — use 膩 (nì) for a broader sense of greasiness or saturation, while 油腻 (yóunì) specifically emphasizes greasy or oily food.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 膩 with 油腻 (yóunì), which is a more common term for greasy. For example, saying '这道菜很膩' (zhè dào cài hěn nì) might be understood, but '油腻' would be more appropriate. Make sure to use 膩 in the right context.

Write 膩

膩

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

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Word Family of 膩

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

Characters with 膩

What does 腻 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 膩

Synonyms include 油腻 (yóunì), which also means greasy, and 厌倦 (yànjuàn), meaning tired or bored.

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