念 meaning and stroke order
To read; to study (a subject); to attend (a school)
How to write 念, stroke by stroke
8 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
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- 8
Meaning of 念
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to read
- to study (a subject)
- to attend (a school)
- to read aloud
- to give (sb) a tongue-lashing (CL:頓|顿[dun4])
- to miss (sb)
How 念 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To keep the present 今 in mind 心.
Radical: 心 (heart), shared by 97 characters on this site.
How to remember 念
念 is 今 (jīn, now) sitting on top of 心 (xīn, heart). To keep something in your heart right now is to think of it, miss it, or keep reading it over.
In everyday speech 念 often means to read aloud or to study at a school or in a subject, as in 念书 (niànshū, to study). It also means to miss someone, especially in words like 想念 (xiǎngniàn) and 思念 (sīniàn). Example: 我很想念我的家人。(Wǒ hěn xiǎngniàn wǒ de jiārén.) I really miss my family.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 念 with 今 (jīn) or 含 (hán), which share the top part. Remember that 念 has 心 at the bottom, while 含 has 口.
Common words with 念
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 纪念 | jìniàn | to commemorate; to honor the memory of; memento; keepsake; souvenir | HSK 3 |
| 概念 | gàiniàn | concept; idea | HSK 3 |
| 观念 | guānniàn | notion; thought | HSK 3 |
| 想念 | xiǎngniàn | to miss; to remember with longing | HSK 4 |
| 怀念 | huáiniàn | to cherish the memory of; to think of | HSK 4 |
| 信念 | xìnniàn | faith; belief | HSK 5 |
| 念头 | niàntou | thought; idea; intention | HSK 7-9 |
| 思念 | sīniàn | to think of; to long for | HSK 7-9 |
| 念书 | niànshū | to read; to study; to attend school | HSK 7-9 |
| 纪念日 | jìniànrì | day of commemoration; memorial day | HSK 7-9 |
| 理念 | lǐniàn | idea; concept | HSK 7-9 |
| 挂念 | guàniàn | to feel anxious about; to have (sth) weighing on one's mind | HSK 7-9 |
| 纪念碑 | jìniànbēi | monument | HSK 7-9 |
| 悼念 | dàoniàn | to grieve | HSK 7-9 |
念 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 念
Learning 念 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 念
How many strokes are in 念?
念 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 念 mean?
念 (niàn) means to read; to study (a subject); to attend (a school). A common word with it is 纪念 (jìniàn), meaning "to commemorate; to honor the memory of; memento; keepsake; souvenir".
How do you pronounce 念?
念 is pronounced niàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 念?
The radical of 念 is 心, which carries the idea of "heart". Dictionaries list 念 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 念?
The traditional form of 念 is 唸. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 念 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 念 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 念 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 念 and 读 when reading?
Both can mean to read aloud or to study, and 念书 and 读书 are often interchangeable. 念 is a bit more colloquial and common in northern speech, while 读 sounds slightly more formal and is used in more written compounds.
Can 念 mean to scold someone?
Yes. In casual speech 念 can mean to nag or give someone a tongue-lashing, often with the measure word 顿 (dùn). For example, 妈妈念了我一顿 (Māma niàn le wǒ yí dùn) means Mom gave me a scolding.