Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
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) T2
  1. 1rainbow; colorful, variegated
  2. 2Japanese cicada
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 霓

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

Podcast: 霓

JasonAmy

Podcast: 霓

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

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

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 霓 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 霓

  1. 1The giveawayThe child 兒 of a rain cloud 雨
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 霓? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 霓?

Decomposition of 霓

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

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component 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.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

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 4

Compound Meaning

What does 霓 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 霓

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

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 霓?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.