镊 meaning and stroke order
Tweezers, forceps, pliers; to nip, to pluck
How to write 镊, stroke by stroke
15 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
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
Meaning of 镊
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) tweezers
- to use tweezers (to grasp, pick up, or pull out etc, depending on whether the following resultative verb is 住[zhu4] or 起[qi3] or 出[chu1] etc)
How 镊 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Metal.
钅 gives the meaning and 聂 hints at the sound.
Radical: 钅 (gold), shared by 223 characters on this site.
How to remember 镊
The metal radical 钅 tells you this is a metal tool, and 聂 (niè) gives the sound. Picture a small metal tool that picks up something as tiny as a hair from the ear 耳 shown in 聂.
镊 is a bound form and usually appears in 镊子 (nièzi), the everyday word for tweezers or forceps. It can also act as a verb meaning to pick with tweezers, followed by a result like 住, 起 or 出. Example: 用镊子把刺镊出来。(Yòng nièzi bǎ cì niè chūlai.) Use tweezers to pull the splinter out.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write the right side as a single 耳 or forget the two small 又 shapes under it. Keep the full 聂 component. Also, the 子 in 镊子 is neutral tone, so say nièzi, not niè zǐ.
Common words with 镊
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 镊子 | nièzi | tweezers; forceps |
镊 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 镊
How many strokes are in 镊?
镊 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 镊 mean?
镊 (niè) means tweezers, forceps, pliers; to nip, to pluck. A common word with it is 镊子 (nièzi), meaning "tweezers; forceps".
How do you pronounce 镊?
镊 is pronounced niè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 镊?
The radical of 镊 is 钅, which carries the idea of "gold". Dictionaries list 镊 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 镊?
The traditional form of 镊 is 鑷. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 镊 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Can 镊 be used alone to mean tweezers?
Not usually. On its own as a noun it sounds incomplete, so say 镊子 (nièzi). As a verb it can stand alone before a result complement, as in 镊起来 (niè qǐlai), to pick up with tweezers.
What other characters share the sound part 聂?
聂 (Niè) itself is a common surname, and 嗫 (niè) appears in 嗫嚅 (nièrú), to speak hesitantly. Seeing 聂 on the right is a good hint that the character is read niè.