Meaning of 念
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- 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)
- idea
- remembrance
- variant of 念[nian4], to read aloud
How to use 念
In speech, 念 often means to read aloud or to study at a school, and it also means to miss someone, as in 想念 (xiǎngniàn). Example: 他在北京念大学。(Tā zài Běijīng niàn dàxué.) He goes to university in Beijing.
念 is built from 今 (jīn, now) on top of 心 (xīn, heart). Something you hold in your heart right now is a thought, or someone you miss.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 念 with 今 (jīn) or 怎 (zěn), which also has 心 at the bottom with a different top part. Also, 念书 means to study or attend school, not only to read a book silently, which is usually 看书 (kàn shū).
念 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
念 niàn · to read · 8 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Related words
Words that share a character with 念.
| 纪念 | jìniàn | to commemorate; to honor the memory of; memento; keepsake; souvenir |
| 概念 | gàiniàn | concept; idea |
| 观念 | guānniàn | notion; thought |
| 想念 | xiǎngniàn | to miss; to remember with longing |
| 怀念 | huáiniàn | to cherish the memory of; to think of |
| 信念 | xìnniàn | faith; belief |
| 念头 | niàntou | thought; idea; intention |
| 思念 | sīniàn | to think of; to long for |
| 念书 | niànshū | to read; to study; to attend school |
| 纪念日 | jìniànrì | day of commemoration; memorial day |
| 理念 | lǐniàn | idea; concept |
| 挂念 | guàniàn | to feel anxious about; to have (sth) weighing on one's mind |
Questions about 念
What does 念 mean?
念 (niàn) means "to read; to study (a subject)" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 念?
念 is made of 1 character: 念 (8 strokes). That is 8 strokes in total.
Is 念 an HSK word?
Yes. 念 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 念 and 读 (dú)?
Both can mean to read aloud or to study at a school. 念 is more colloquial and common in northern speech, while 读 sounds a bit more formal and is used in words like 阅读 (yuèdú).
How do I say I miss you using 念?
You can say 我想念你 (wǒ xiǎngniàn nǐ), which sounds warm and slightly more formal than 我想你 (wǒ xiǎng nǐ). For memories of the past, 怀念 (huáiniàn) is more natural.