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袮 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
袮nǐthee, thou; "you" when referring to a dietyx, 10 strokes, radical 衤, rank #59048, Very Hard
袮nǐYouunknown, 10 strokes, radical 衤, rank #59048, Very Hard
袮nǐThou (of deity)unknown, 10 strokes, radical 衤, rank #59048, Very Hard
袮nǐused in rare Japanese place names such as 袮宜町 Minorimachi and 袮宜田 Minoritaunknown, 10 strokes, radical 衤, rank #59048, Very Hard
袮mithee, thou; "you" when referring to a dietyx, 10 strokes, radical 衤, rank #59048, Very Hard
袮miYouunknown, 10 strokes, radical 衤, rank #59048, Very Hard
袮miThou (of deity)unknown, 10 strokes, radical 衤, rank #59048, Very Hard
袮miused in rare Japanese place names such as 袮宜町 Minorimachi and 袮宜田 Minoritaunknown, 10 strokes, radical 衤, rank #59048, Very Hard
袮nithee, thou; "you" when referring to a dietyx, 10 strokes, radical 衤, rank #59048, Very Hard
袮niYouunknown, 10 strokes, radical 衤, rank #59048, Very Hard
袮niThou (of deity)unknown, 10 strokes, radical 衤, rank #59048, Very Hard
袮niused in rare Japanese place names such as 袮宜町 Minorimachi and 袮宜田 Minoritaunknown, 10 strokes, radical 衤, rank #59048, Very Hard
ni(ni5)
primary
T5
  1. 1thee, thou; "you" when referring to a diety
  2. 2You
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

袮ni(ni5)

袮 (ni) is an archaic form of 'you' or 'thou,' commonly used in a religious or poetic context when addressing deities. Although it has fallen out of everyday use, it is still found in certain Japanese place names, emphasizing its rarity and specific cultural significance.

Strokes10Radical衤Frequency#59048DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

The usage of 袮 reflects the traditional Chinese respect for deities and ancestors, highlighting the cultural importance of language in expressing reverence. This character can be found in historical texts that discuss rituals or prayers.

Memory tip

Imagine a friendly, ancient deity wearing a flowing robe (袮) that gently reminds you to speak respectfully ('thou') to them. The character itself looks like a figure wrapped in cloth, symbolizing reverence and respect.

Meanings of 袮

ni(ni5)
primary
1thee, thou; "you" when referring to a diety
2You
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 袮

袮Simplified
10Strokes
衤Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 袮

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Podcast: 袮

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AI Study Notes for 袮

Usage Notes

袮 is not commonly used in modern Mandarin and should be reserved for literary or religious contexts. Be cautious not to confuse it with 你 (nǐ), the standard term for 'you' in everyday conversation. Its usage may come off as overly formal or archaic in casual speech.

HSK Study Tips

As 袮 is not part of the HSK curriculum, learners should focus on recognizing it in classical texts or religious literature. Understanding its relationship with 你 (nǐ) can aid in grasping the nuances of honorific language.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 袮 in everyday conversations, equating it to 你. For example, saying '袮好' instead of '你好' (nǐ hǎo) is incorrect; use 你 for casual greetings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 袮

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Jason Explains 袮 to You

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Etymology of 袮

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

you

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

Origin

袮 = 尔 + 衤. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 袮

IDS Structure⿰衤尔
袮Full character
=
衤yi1
left
尔er3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 袮?

How to say thee, thou; "you" when referring to a diety in Chinese

“thee, thou; "you" when referring to a diety” in Chinese is袮nǐ

袮 (ni) is an archaic form of 'you' or 'thou,' commonly used in a religious or poetic context when addressing deities. Although it has fallen out of everyday use, it is still found in certain Japanese place names, emphasizing its rarity and specific cultural significance.

When to use 袮

袮 is not commonly used in modern Mandarin and should be reserved for literary or religious contexts. Be cautious not to confuse it with 你 (nǐ), the standard term for 'you' in everyday conversation. Its usage may come off as overly formal or archaic in casual speech.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 袮 in everyday conversations, equating it to 你. For example, saying '袮好' instead of '你好' (nǐ hǎo) is incorrect; use 你 for casual greetings.

Write 袮

袮

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

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Word Family of 袮

Words containing this character1
袮niYou

Frequently Asked Questions about 袮

No, 袮 is considered archaic and is rarely used in contemporary speech.

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