Definitions

niē (verb) to pinch; to hold between fingers; to mold with fingers
niē (verb) to fabricate; to make up (a story)

Etymology phono-semantic

hand

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 捏 is structured with the hand radical 扌 combined with the component 圼, which itself consists of 日 and 土 and historically functioned as a phonetic indicator. Its earliest recorded meanings involve physical actions performed with the fingers, such as pinching or kneading substances like clay. From this concrete sense, the character later acquired abstract applications, notably in contexts like 捏造, where it denotes the fabrication of information, extending the idea of manual shaping to the construction of narratives. The hand radical consistently anchors its meaning in actions related to the hand, while the phonetic component has influenced its pronunciation over time.

Example Sentences Hide

妈妈我的脸。

Māma niēle niē wǒ de liǎn.

Mom pinched my cheek.

妹妹喜欢橡皮泥。

Mèimei xǐhuan niē xiàngpíní.

My younger sister likes to knead play dough.

我的鼻子!

Bié niē wǒ de bízi!

Don't pinch my nose!

爸爸碎了那个杯子。

Bàba niēsuì le nàgè bēizi.

Dad crushed that cup by pinching it.

造了一个故事。

Tā niēzào le yīgè gùshì.

She fabricated a story.

艺术家出了精美的雕塑。

Yìshùjiā niēchū le jīngměi de diāosù.

The artist molded a fine sculpture.

合了双方的意见。

Tā niēhé le shuāngfāng de yìjiàn.

He mediated and brought together both parties' opinions.

不要造事实来欺骗别人。

Bùyào niēzào shìshí lái qīpiàn biérén.

Do not fabricate facts to deceive others.