尼 meaning and stroke order
Buddhist nun; used in transliterations
How to write 尼, stroke by stroke
5 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
Meaning of 尼
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- Buddhist nun
- (often used in phonetic spellings)
How 尼 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 尸 (body), shared by 40 characters on this site.
How to remember 尼
尼 is made of 尸 (a body or roof shape) on top and 匕 (a small figure) tucked underneath. Picture a quiet nun sitting under the shelter of a temple roof.
Today 尼 mostly appears in loanwords and foreign names, where it stands for the sound "ni". It also means a Buddhist nun in words like 尼姑 (nígū). Example: 我买了一件尼龙外套。(Wǒ mǎi le yí jiàn nílóng wàitào.) I bought a nylon jacket.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 尼 (ní) with 泥 (ní, mud) and 呢 (ne, a question particle), which both contain 尼. Also keep the second tone. Do not say it with the third tone of 你 (nǐ).
Common words with 尼
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 尼龙 | nílóng | (loanword) nylon | HSK 7-9 |
| 尼特 | nítè | nit (symbol: nt), unit of luminance (loanword) | |
| 比基尼 | bǐjīní | (loanword) bikini | |
| 尼玛 | Nímǎ | (Internet slang) alternative for 你媽|你妈[ni3 ma1]; (transcription from Tibetan) the sun | |
| 芬尼 | fēnní | pfennig (monetary unit) (loanword) | |
| 马丁尼 | mǎdīngní | (loanword) martini | |
| 哈尼 | Hāní | honey (term of endearment) (loanword) | |
| 尼古丁 | nígǔdīng | (loanword) nicotine | |
| 尼姑 | nígū | Buddhist nun |
尼 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 尼
Learning 尼 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 尼
How many strokes are in 尼?
尼 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 尼 mean?
尼 (ní) means Buddhist nun; used in transliterations. A common word with it is 尼龙 (nílóng), meaning "(loanword) nylon".
How do you pronounce 尼?
尼 is pronounced ní, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 尼?
The radical of 尼 is 尸, which carries the idea of "body". Dictionaries list 尼 under this radical.
Is 尼 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 尼 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Why does 尼 show up in so many country and brand names?
Chinese has no alphabet, so foreign names are spelled with characters chosen for their sound. 尼 is a standard choice for the syllable "ni", as in 尼泊尔 (Níbó'ěr, Nepal) and 尼古丁 (nígǔdīng, nicotine).
Is 尼玛 a rude word?
Online, 尼玛 (nímǎ) is often slang standing in for 你妈 (nǐ mā), used as a mild curse, so avoid it in polite speech. In Tibetan names, though, 尼玛 simply means the sun and is a common, respectful name.