捏 meaning and stroke order
To hold between the thumb and fingers; to pinch; to mold (using the fingers)
How to write 捏, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 捏
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to hold between the thumb and fingers
- to pinch
- to mold (using the fingers)
- to hold (lit. in one's hand and fig.)
- to join together
- to fabricate (a story, a report, etc)
How 捏 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 圼 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 捏
捏 has the hand radical 扌 on the left, telling you the meaning involves using your hand. The right part 圼 gives the sound, so picture fingers pinching a lump of clay into shape.
捏 describes actions done with the thumb and fingers, like pinching, squeezing, or shaping dough or clay. It also appears in 捏造 (niēzào), meaning to make up a story or evidence. Example: 她用面团捏了一只小兔子。 (Tā yòng miàntuán niē le yì zhī xiǎo tùzi.) She molded a little rabbit out of dough.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes confuse 捏 with 握 (wò), but 握 means to grip with the whole hand, while 捏 uses just the fingertips. Also watch the right side: it is 圼 (日 over 土), not 里.
Common words with 捏
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 捏造 | niēzào | to make up; to fabricate | |
| 捏碎 | niēsuì | to crush (sth) in one's hand |
捏 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 捏
How many strokes are in 捏?
捏 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 捏 mean?
捏 (niē) means to hold between the thumb and fingers; to pinch; to mold (using the fingers). A common word with it is 捏造 (niēzào), meaning "to make up; to fabricate".
How do you pronounce 捏?
捏 is pronounced niē, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 捏?
The radical of 捏 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 捏 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 捏?
The traditional form of 捏 is 揑. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 捏 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 捏 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 捏 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 捏一把汗 mean?
捏一把汗 (niē yì bǎ hàn) literally means to clutch a handful of sweat. It describes being very nervous or anxious for someone, like when watching a close game.
What is the difference between 捏 and 掐 (qiā)?
Both involve fingers. 掐 usually means pinching hard with the fingernails or squeezing tightly, like 掐脖子 (to choke someone). 捏 is more general and includes gentle pinching and shaping things.