Definitions

nèn to think; this; which?; how? (literary); Taiwan pr. [rèn]
nín old variant of 您[nín]

Etymology phono-semantic

heart

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

is formed by the heart radical below, suggesting mental or emotional states, and the phonetic above. Originally, it conveyed meanings like 'to think,' 'reflect,' or 'miss someone.' Over time, in vernacular literature and spoken dialects, the character developed a prominent grammatical role as a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'like this,' 'so,' or 'such,' often emphasizing degree or manner, shifting its main use from a verb of cognition to a functional modifier.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern