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March 24, 2026
扭niǔ(niu3)
The character 扭 (niǔ) primarily means 'to turn' or 'to twist.' It is commonly used in contexts involving physical movement, such as twisting a bottle cap or spraining an ankle. The term can also describe the act of swinging one's hips in dance or movement.
Strokes7Radical扌Frequency#3808DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, dance styles that involve hip movements, such as traditional folk dances, often use the concept of 扭. This emphasizes the importance of body movement and rhythm in cultural expressions and celebrations.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person trying to open a tightly sealed jar (扭). As they twist the jar lid (the character includes the radical for hand), they might also swing their hips in frustration, remembering that 'niǔ' sounds like 'new' – as in a new way to open stubborn jars!
Meanings of 扭
niǔ(niu3)
1to turn
2to twist
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 扭
扭Simplified
7Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#3808Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 扭
Podcast: 扭
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AI Study Notes for 扭
Quick Contrast
扭 (twist) vs 转 (turn) — use 扭 when emphasizing a twisting motion, while 转 is more general for turning.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person trying to open a tightly sealed jar (扭). As they twist the jar lid (the character includes the radical for hand), they might also swing their hips in frustration, remembering that 'niǔ' sounds like 'new' – as in a new way to open stubborn jars!
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 扭 (niǔ) with other similar-sounding characters, which may have different meanings. It is typically used in informal contexts, but can also appear in formal writing when discussing physical actions. Common collocations include 扭伤 (niǔ shāng - to sprain) and 扭动 (niǔ dòng - to twist or wriggle).
HSK Study Tips
While '扭' is not in the official HSK vocabulary lists, it is relevant for learners at level 3 or higher due to its frequent use in everyday conversation. Students should focus on related verbs that describe physical actions, enhancing their vocabulary around movement and physicality.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, dance styles that involve hip movements, such as traditional folk dances, often use the concept of 扭. This emphasizes the importance of body movement and rhythm in cultural expressions and celebrations.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 扭 (niǔ) with 纽 (niǔ - to tie or knot) due to their similar sounds. For example, saying '我扭了绳子' (I twisted the rope) incorrectly when it should be '我绑了绳子' (I tied the rope).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 扭
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Grammar Patterns of 扭
扭 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 6 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.
I had a feeling you were going to be difficult about this.
2
她的行动和思想变得扭曲了，她的态度也是。
tā de háng dòng hé sī xiǎng biàn dé niǔ qū le， ， tā de tài dù yě。
Her actions and thoughts became distorted. So did her behavior.
3
克纳汉因为扭伤脖子而错过了联赛。
kè nà hàn yīn wéi niǔ shāng bó zǐ ér cuò guò le lián sài。
Kernaghan missed the United game after he ricked his neck.
4
他因摔倒而严重扭伤了脚踝。
tā yīn shuāi dǎo ér yán zhòng niǔ shāng le jiǎo huái。
He had wrenched his ankle badly from the force of the fall.
5
这个人的整个人格似乎被永远地扭曲了。
zhè gè rén de zhěng gè rén gé sì hū bèi yǒng yuǎn dì niǔ qū le。
The individual's whole personality appears to be permanently warped.
6
车子成了一堆扭曲的金属。
chē zǐ chéng le yī duī niǔ qū de jīn shǔ。
The car was left a mess of twisted metal.
7
然后他反扭住那名男子的手臂让他动弹不得，直到警察赶到。
rán hòu tā fǎn niǔ zhù nà míng nán zǐ de shǒu bì ràng tā dòng dàn bù dé， ， zhí dào jǐng chá gǎn。
He then held the man in an armlock until police arrived.
8
他面部扭曲，假装疼痛。
tā miàn bù niǔ qū， ， jiǎ zhuāng téng。
He screwed his face into an expression of mock pain.
9
他扭伤的脖子治好了。
tā niǔ shāng de bó zǐ zhì hǎo le。
He recovered from a ricked neck.
10
孩子一扭一扭地又想挣脱，他紧紧地抓住了她。
hái zǐ yī niǔ yī niǔ dì yòu xiǎng zhèng tuō， ， tā jǐn jǐn dì zhuā zhù le。
He clutched the child tightly as she again tried to wriggle free.
Cultural Notes for 扭
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, dance styles that involve hip movements, such as traditional folk dances, often use the concept of 扭. This emphasizes the importance of body movement and rhythm in cultural expressions and celebrations.
Word Family of 扭
Words Containing This Character19
扭niǔto turn
扭曲niǔqūto twist
扭转niǔzhuǎnto reverse扭轉
扭伤a sprain扭傷
别扭bièniuawkward彆扭
扭头niǔtóuto turn one's head扭頭
扭矩torque
扭亏to reverse a loss扭虧
扭打to wrestle
闹别扭to be difficult with sb鬧彆扭
扭转乾坤to turn things around扭轉乾坤
扭扭捏捏coy
扭力torque
扭捏coy
歪歪扭扭crooked
扭结to tangle up扭結
扭摆to twist and sway (one's body)扭擺
七扭八歪misshapen
扭角羚goat-antelope
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 扭 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 扭
You can say, '我扭伤了我的脚' (wǒ niǔ shāng le wǒ de jiǎo) meaning 'I sprained my foot.'
While it primarily refers to physical actions, it can also be used metaphorically, such as in twisting a story or situation.
The tone of 扭 is the third tone (niǔ), which can sound like a rising tone followed by a falling tone.
