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霓 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
霓nírainbow; colorful, variegatedn, 16 strokes, radical 雨, rank #26417, Very Hard
霓níJapanese cicadaunknown, 16 strokes, radical 雨, rank #26417, Very Hard
霓níold variant of 霓[ni2]unknown, 16 strokes, radical 雨, rank #26417, Very Hard
ní(ni2)ni T2
  1. 1rainbow; colorful, variegated
  2. 2Japanese cicada
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March 24, 2026

霓(蜺)ní(ni2)

The character 霓 (ní) primarily means 'rainbow,' symbolizing beauty and variety. It is often used in contexts that describe colorful phenomena or things that are variegated in color. Additionally, it can refer to a specific type of cicada in Japan, relating to its vibrant appearance.

Strokes16Radical雨Frequency#26417DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, rainbows are often seen as auspicious symbols, representing hope and prosperity. The character 霓 captures this beauty and is sometimes used in poetry to evoke a sense of wonder.

Memory tip

Think of 霓 as a 'neon' rainbow, where the top part (雨) represents 'rain' and the bottom part (倪) suggests 'something vibrant or vivid.' Imagine a bright, colorful rainbow appearing after a rainstorm, filling the sky with vibrant hues.

Meanings of 霓

ní(ni2)
1rainbow; colorful, variegated
2Japanese cicada
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 霓

霓Simplified
蜺Traditional
16Strokes
雨Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 霓

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AI study notes for 霓

Quick Contrast

彩虹 (cǎihóng, rainbow) - use 霓 (ní) for poetic or literary contexts involving beauty and variety; 彩虹 (cǎihóng) is more common in everyday language.

Usage Notes

Since 霓 is a more literary or poetic term, it may not be used in everyday conversation. Learners should be cautious not to confuse 霓 with similar words like 彩虹 (cǎihóng), which is the more common term for rainbow. It is typically used in formal contexts or literature.

HSK Study Tips

While 霓 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with other HSK vocabulary related to colors and nature. Focus on understanding its meaning in context and how it pairs with other descriptive words related to beauty and color.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 霓 with similar characters like 彩 (cǎi) or 虹 (hóng), leading to incorrect phrases. For example, saying '我喜欢霓' (Wǒ xǐhuān ní) to mean 'I like the rainbow' is incorrect; the correct phrase is '我喜欢彩虹' (Wǒ xǐhuān cǎihóng).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 霓

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Etymology of 霓

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

The child 兒 of a rain cloud 雨

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 霓?

Decomposition of 霓

IDS Structure⿱雨兒
霓Full character
=
雨yu3
top
兒er2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 霓?

How to say rainbow; colorful, variegated in Chinese

“rainbow; colorful, variegated” in Chinese is霓ní

The character 霓 (ní) primarily means 'rainbow,' symbolizing beauty and variety. It is often used in contexts that describe colorful phenomena or things that are variegated in color. Additionally, it can refer to a specific type of cicada in Japan, relating to its vibrant appearance.

When to use 霓

Since 霓 is a more literary or poetic term, it may not be used in everyday conversation. Learners should be cautious not to confuse 霓 with similar words like 彩虹 (cǎihóng), which is the more common term for rainbow. It is typically used in formal contexts or literature.

霓 or something close to it

彩虹 (cǎihóng, rainbow) - use 霓 (ní) for poetic or literary contexts involving beauty and variety; 彩虹 (cǎihóng) is more common in everyday language.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 霓 with similar characters like 彩 (cǎi) or 虹 (hóng), leading to incorrect phrases. For example, saying '我喜欢霓' (Wǒ xǐhuān ní) to mean 'I like the rainbow' is incorrect; the correct phrase is '我喜欢彩虹' (Wǒ xǐhuān cǎihóng).

Write 霓

霓

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

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Word Family of 霓

Words containing this character4
霓níJapanese cicada蜺
霓虹灯neon lamp (loanword)霓虹燈
霓虹rainbow
霓裳Nichang, abbr. for the Tang Dynasty song "Raiment of Rainbows and Feathers" 霓裳羽衣曲[Ní​cháng​yǔ​yī​qū] or 霓裳羽衣舞[Ní​cháng​yǔ​yī​wǔ]
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 霓

What does 霓虹灯 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 霓

No, 霓 is more often found in literary or poetic contexts rather than everyday conversation.

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