唸 meaning and stroke order
To recite, to read, to chant
How to write 唸, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
Meaning of 唸
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- variant of 念[nian4], to read aloud
How 唸 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Mouth.
口 gives the meaning and 念 hints at the sound.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 唸
Put a mouth 口 (kǒu) next to 念 (niàn, to think of, to read) and you get 唸, reading something out loud with your mouth. The 口 gives the meaning and 念 gives the sound.
唸 is a variant of 念 used for reading aloud or reciting, and you will mostly see it in Taiwan and Hong Kong writing. In mainland standard writing, 念 is used instead. Example: 請你唸這個字。(Qǐng nǐ niàn zhège zì.) Please read this character aloud.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes use 唸 for the meaning "to miss someone" or "thought," as in 想念 (xiǎngniàn). That sense is written only with 念, not 唸, because 唸 is tied to the mouth and speaking.
Questions about 唸
How many strokes are in 唸?
唸 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 唸 mean?
唸 (niàn) means to recite, to read, to chant.
How do you pronounce 唸?
唸 is pronounced niàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 唸?
The radical of 唸 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 唸 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 唸?
唸 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 念, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Should I write 唸 or 念 when I mean to read aloud?
Both are understood, but 念 is the standard form in mainland China and works in every context. 唸 is common in Taiwan and Hong Kong, for example in 唸書 (niànshū, to study).
Is 唸 pronounced differently from 念?
No. Both are niàn with the fourth tone. The only difference is the written form, since 唸 adds 口 to show the mouth is involved.