拈

niān

占 + 扌

Definitions

niān to nip; to grasp with the fingers; to fiddle with; Taiwan pr. [nián]

Etymology

To divine 占 by hand 扌; 占 also provides the pronunciation

About

A phono-semantic compound, 拈 combines the hand radical 扌 on the left with the phonetic component 占 (meaning "to divine") on the right, which supplies the pronunciation. The radical signals an action done with the hands, while 占 does not influence the meaning. The character refers to picking up or pinching something small lightly between the thumb and fingers. This manual sense is its primary use, though it also appears in set phrases like 拈花惹草, a metaphor for philandering or romantic affairs outside a committed relationship.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

她拈着一片叶子。

Tā niān zhe yī piàn yè zi.

She is holding a leaf.

他拈起一块糖。

Tā niān qǐ yī kuài táng.

He picks up a piece of candy.

妹妹拈花瓣玩。

Mèi mei niān huā bàn wán.

Little sister plays by picking petals.

爸爸拈起掉落的钥匙。

Bà ba niān qǐ diào luò de yào shi.

Dad picks up the dropped key.

他用筷子拈起豆子。

Tā yòng kuài zi niān qǐ dòu zi.

He uses chopsticks to pick up beans.

拈起这些碎片要小心。

Niān qǐ zhè xiē suì piàn yào xiǎo xīn.

Picking up these fragments requires care.

在刺绣时，她拈着细针穿线。

Zài cì xiù shí, tā niān zhe xì zhēn chuān xiàn.

When embroidering, she holds the thin needle to thread.

科学家用精密仪器拈起微生物样本。

Kē xué jiā yòng jīng mì yí qì niān qǐ wēi shēng wù yàng běn.

Scientists use precision instruments to pick up microbial samples.

Related Characters

Component: 占

Component: 扌

拈