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粘 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
粘niánglutinousHSK 6, v, 11 strokes, radical 米, rank #3010, Hard
粘niánto glueHSK 6, v, 11 strokes, radical 米, rank #3010, Hard
粘niánstickyHSK 6, v, 11 strokes, radical 米, rank #3010, Hard
粘niánto stickHSK 6, v, 11 strokes, radical 米, rank #3010, Hard
粘niánto pasteHSK 6, v, 11 strokes, radical 米, rank #3010, Hard
粘niánto adhereHSK 6, v, 11 strokes, radical 米, rank #3010, Hard
粘niánviscous, sticky, mucous, glutinousHSK 6, v, 11 strokes, radical 米, rank #3010, Hard
粘zhānglutinousHSK 6, v, 11 strokes, radical 米, rank #3010, Hard
粘zhānto glueHSK 6, v, 11 strokes, radical 米, rank #3010, Hard
粘zhānstickyHSK 6, v, 11 strokes, radical 米, rank #3010, Hard
粘zhānto stickHSK 6, v, 11 strokes, radical 米, rank #3010, Hard
粘zhānto pasteHSK 6, v, 11 strokes, radical 米, rank #3010, Hard
粘zhānto adhereHSK 6, v, 11 strokes, radical 米, rank #3010, Hard
粘zhānviscous, sticky, mucous, glutinousHSK 6, v, 11 strokes, radical 米, rank #3010, Hard
nián(nian2)
primary
 T2
  1. 1glutinous
  2. 2to glue
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

粘nián(nian2)

The character 粘 (nián) primarily means to stick or adhere to something, often referring to materials that are sticky or glutinous in nature. It is commonly used in contexts involving adhesive substances, food textures, or situations where items are physically attached to one another, such as glue or sticky rice.

Strokes11Radical米Frequency#3010DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, 粘 is often related to foods like 粘米饭 (niánmǐfàn - sticky rice), which is a staple in various regional dishes. This reflects the cultural preference for textures in food that engage the senses.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sticky note that clings to a wall. The character 粘 consists of the radical for rice (米), suggesting a glutinous substance, and the phonetic component 'nián', which sounds like 'neon' lights sticking out. Picture neon lights made of sticky rice to remember its meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 粘

nián(nian2)
primary
1glutinous
2to glue
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 粘

粘Simplified
11Strokes
米Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#3010Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 粘

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Podcast: 粘

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 粘

Quick Contrast

粘 (nián) vs 附 (fù) — use 粘 when emphasizing the quality of stickiness, while 附 focuses on the act of attaching or being attached.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 粘 (nián) with 黏 (nián), which has a similar meaning but is used in different contexts. 粘 is more often used in practical, everyday situations, while 黏 might be used in more formal or literary contexts. Common collocations include 粘胶 (niánjiāo - adhesive) and 粘土 (niántǔ - clay).

HSK Study Tips

Although 粘 is not specifically listed in the HSK levels, it connects with other vocabulary related to food and materials, particularly at HSK 3 and 4. Focus on contextual usage in culinary terms and adhesive products to enhance understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 粘 with the similar-sounding 黏, leading to incorrect usage in contexts. For example, saying '粘土' (niántǔ - sticky clay) instead of the correct '黏土' (niántǔ - adhesive clay) is a common error.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 粘

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Etymology of 粘

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

Phonosemantic compound. 米 represents the meaning and 占 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

grain

Semantic (meaning)米
+
Phonetic (sound)占
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 粘

Phonosemantic compound. 米 represents the meaning and 占 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half米 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half占 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaygrain
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 粘? 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 粘?

Decomposition of 粘

IDS Structure⿰米占
粘Full Character
=
米Mi3
left
占zhan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 粘?

How to say glutinous in Chinese

“glutinous” in Chinese is粘nián

The character 粘 (nián) primarily means to stick or adhere to something, often referring to materials that are sticky or glutinous in nature. It is commonly used in contexts involving adhesive substances, food textures, or situations where items are physically attached to one another, such as glue or sticky rice.

When to use 粘

Be careful not to confuse 粘 (nián) with 黏 (nián), which has a similar meaning but is used in different contexts. 粘 is more often used in practical, everyday situations, while 黏 might be used in more formal or literary contexts. Common collocations include 粘胶 (niánjiāo - adhesive) and 粘土 (niántǔ - clay).

粘 or something close to it

粘 (nián) vs 附 (fù) — use 粘 when emphasizing the quality of stickiness, while 附 focuses on the act of attaching or being attached.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 粘 with the similar-sounding 黏, leading to incorrect usage in contexts. For example, saying '粘土' (niántǔ - sticky clay) instead of the correct '黏土' (niántǔ - adhesive clay) is a common error.

Write 粘

粘

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 粘

粘 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 7 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 5

Complete the Sentence

在这间客厅，我们____贴了各种美丽的印花纸。

In this living room we've mixed glorious floral prints.

Common Confusions with 粘

粘vs黏
nián

Similar pronunciation and meaning, but different characters.

Both characters refer to stickiness, but 粘 is more often used in the sense of 'to stick or adhere' while 黏 often refers to the glutinous quality.

1

这块糖果很黏。

Both characters refer to stickiness, but 粘 is more often used in the sense of 'to stick or adhere' while 黏 often refers to the glutinous quality.

💡Remember that 黏 has the '黏' component, indicating a more inherent stickiness.
Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "glutinous"?

or

Example Sentences for 粘 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
在这间客厅，我们粘贴了各种美丽的印花纸。

zài zhè jiān kè tīng， ， wǒ mén nián tiē le gè zhǒng měi lì de yìn huā。

In this living room we've mixed glorious floral prints.
2
把松动的地板块都粘好。

bǎ sōng dòng de dì bǎn kuài dū nián hǎo。

Stick down any loose bits of flooring.
3
他的下巴上粘着肉汁。

tā de xià bā shàng nián zháo ròu zhī。

There was a smear of gravy on his chin.
4
这小玩意儿可以粘在任何垂直表面上。

zhè xiǎo wán yì ér kě yǐ nián zài rèn hé chuí zhí biǎo miàn shàng。

The gadget can be attached to any vertical surface.
5
如果窗户碎了，就无法再把它粘回到一起了。

rú guǒ chuāng hù suì le， ， jiù wú fǎ zài bǎ tā nián huí dào yī qǐ。

If a window is broken, you can't stick it back together again.
6
砂粒在波浪分选作用下从粉砂及粘土中分出.

shā lì zài bō làng fēn xuǎn zuò yòng xià cóng fěn shā jí nián tǔ zhōng fēn chū.

The sand is separated from the silt and clay by wave sorting.
7
然后将直肠的肌壁与粘膜分离开.

rán hòu jiāng zhí cháng de jī bì yǔ nián mó fēn lí kāi.

Then the lining is separated from the rectum's muscular wall.
8
喂, 这不是蜡烛油和粘土 吗 ?在你衣服上. ”

wèi, , zhè bù shì là zhú yóu hé nián tǔ? ma ? zài nǐ.”

Say -- ain't this grease and clay, on your clothes? "
9
捏合馅饼时，要弄湿两张饼皮粘连的地方。

niē hé xiàn bǐng shí， ， yào nòng shī liǎng zhāng bǐng pí nián lián de dì。

When assembling the pie, wet the edges where the two crusts join.
10
他把两段胶卷粘接起来.

tā bǎ liǎng duàn jiāo juàn nián jiē qǐ lái.

He spliced the two lengths of film together.

Word Family of 粘

Words Containing This Character6
粘niánto glue
粘连adhesion粘連
粘贴zhāntiēto stick粘貼
粘接to bond
粘乎乎sticky
不粘锅non-stick pan不粘鍋
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 粘 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 粘

The correct pronunciation is 'nián', with a rising tone, similar to the sound 'nee-an'.

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