韌 meaning and stroke order
Tough, strong; pliable
How to write 韌, stroke by stroke
12 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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- 9
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- 12
Meaning of 韌
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- annealed
- pliable but strong
- tough
- tenacious
How 韌 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Leather.
韋 gives the meaning and 刃 hints at the sound.
Radical: 韋 (tanned leather), shared by 5 characters on this site.
How to remember 韌
On the left is 韋 (wéi), which hints at leather, and on the right is 刃 (rèn), a blade, which gives the sound. Think of leather so tough that even a blade struggles to cut it: it bends but does not break.
韌 (rèn) describes something that is flexible yet hard to break, and it is often used for character as well as materials. It mostly appears in words like 坚韧 (jiānrèn) and 韧性 (rènxìng). Example: 他的性格很坚韧。(Tā de xìnggé hěn jiānrèn.) He has a very tenacious character.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 刃 (rèn, blade) with 刀 (dāo, knife). The extra dot in 刃 marks the cutting edge, and leaving it out gives you the wrong character. Also note the simplified form is 韧, where 韋 becomes 韦.
Common words with 韌
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Questions about 韌
How many strokes are in 韌?
韌 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 韌 mean?
韌 (rèn) means tough, strong; pliable. A common word with it is 坚韧 (jiānrèn), meaning "tough and durable; tenacious".
How do you pronounce 韌?
韌 is pronounced rèn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 韌?
The radical of 韌 is 韋, which carries the idea of "tanned leather". Dictionaries list 韌 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 韌?
韌 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 韧, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 韧 (rèn) and 硬 (yìng)?
硬 (yìng) means hard and rigid, like stone. 韧 (rèn) means tough in a flexible way, able to bend or stretch without snapping, like leather or rubber.
Can 韧 be used on its own as an adjective?
Yes, in casual speech, for example 这块肉很韧 (zhè kuài ròu hěn rèn), this meat is chewy and tough. In most writing, though, it appears in compounds like 坚韧 or 韧性.