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蔫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蔫niānwithered, faded, decayed; calmv, 14 strokes, radical 艹, rank #31718, Very Hard
蔫niānto fadeunknown, 14 strokes, radical 艹, rank #31718, Very Hard
蔫niānto witherunknown, 14 strokes, radical 艹, rank #31718, Very Hard
蔫niānto wiltunknown, 14 strokes, radical 艹, rank #31718, Very Hard
蔫niānlistlessunknown, 14 strokes, radical 艹, rank #31718, Very Hard
niān(nian1)nian T1
  1. 1withered, faded, decayed; calm
  2. 2to fade
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March 24, 2026

蔫niān(nian1)

The character 蔫 (niān) describes the state of being withered or faded, often relating to plants that have lost their vitality. It can also refer to a person's demeanor, conveying a sense of calmness or listlessness. Commonly used in contexts discussing plants or describing someone's lack of energy, it suggests a decline from a previous state of health or liveliness.

Strokes14Radical艹Frequency#31718DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese gardening, the health of plants is highly regarded, and 蔫 can reflect the care (or lack thereof) given to them. The ability to nurture plants is often tied to one's character and patience in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a flower that once bloomed brightly but has now wilted and lost its color, resembling the character 蔫. The left part of the character, resembling grass (艹), connects to the idea of plants, while the right part hints at the fading state, like a tired person slumping down.

Meanings of 蔫

niān(nian1)
1withered, faded, decayed; calm
2to fade
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 蔫

蔫Simplified
14Strokes
艹Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蔫

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Podcast: 蔫

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AI Study Notes for 蔫

Quick Contrast

枯 (kū, withered) — use 蔫 for a more general sense of fading or lack of vitality, while 枯 specifically denotes a complete dryness or death of a plant.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 蔫 with similar-sounding words that have different meanings, so attention to pronunciation is crucial. It is more commonly used in informal contexts, particularly in conversation about plants or one's mood. Be cautious not to confuse it with verbs indicating excitement or energy.

HSK Study Tips

While 蔫 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list, it can be relevant for students at HSK 4 or above who are expanding their vocabulary related to emotions and the natural world. Focus on its usage in descriptive contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 蔫 with the character 干 (gān), which means 'dry' or 'to do.' For example, saying '这花很干' (zhè huā hěn gān) instead of '这花很蔫' (zhè huā hěn niān) can lead to a misunderstanding about the state of the flower.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蔫

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Etymology of 蔫

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

grass

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

Origin

蔫 = 艹 + 焉. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 蔫

IDS Structure⿱艹焉
蔫Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
焉yan1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 蔫?

How to say withered, faded, decayed; calm in Chinese

“withered, faded, decayed; calm” in Chinese is蔫niān

The character 蔫 (niān) describes the state of being withered or faded, often relating to plants that have lost their vitality. It can also refer to a person's demeanor, conveying a sense of calmness or listlessness. Commonly used in contexts discussing plants or describing someone's lack of energy, it suggests a decline from a previous state of health or liveliness.

When to use 蔫

Learners often confuse 蔫 with similar-sounding words that have different meanings, so attention to pronunciation is crucial. It is more commonly used in informal contexts, particularly in conversation about plants or one's mood. Be cautious not to confuse it with verbs indicating excitement or energy.

蔫 or something close to it

枯 (kū, withered) — use 蔫 for a more general sense of fading or lack of vitality, while 枯 specifically denotes a complete dryness or death of a plant.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 蔫 with the character 干 (gān), which means 'dry' or 'to do.' For example, saying '这花很干' (zhè huā hěn gān) instead of '这花很蔫' (zhè huā hěn niān) can lead to a misunderstanding about the state of the flower.

Write 蔫

蔫

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

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Grammar Patterns of 蔫

蔫 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 5 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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

三明治配着____软的色拉饰菜.

The sandwiches came with a rather limp salad garnish.

Example Sentences for 蔫 (2)

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1
三明治配着蔫软的色拉饰菜.

sān míng zhì pèi zháo niān ruǎn de sè lā shì cài.

The sandwiches came with a rather limp salad garnish.
2
花儿晒蔫了.

huā ér shài niān le.

The flowers drooped in the heat of the sun.

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Word Family of 蔫

Words Containing This Character2
蔫niānto fade
发蔫to wilt發蔫
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 蔫

What does 发蔫 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蔫

Synonyms include 枯萎 (kūwěi) meaning 'withered' and 凋零 (diāolíng) meaning 'to wither away.'

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