凝

níng

冫 + 疑

Definitions

níng (verb) to congeal; to solidify

níng (verb) to stare; to focus attention

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 冫 represents the meaning and 疑 represents the sound.

Semantic: 冫 Phonetic: 疑

About

The character 凝 is a phono-semantic compound, with the ice radical 冫 on the left providing its semantic category related to freezing or solidification, and 疑 on the right offering its phonetic value. From the core meaning of congealing from a liquid to a solid, the character extends to abstract concepts of concentration and gathering, such as focusing one's gaze or thoughts, or the condensation of moisture. The radical grounds the character in the physical properties of temperature and phase change, while the phonetic component establishes its pronunciation.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

水凝固成冰。

Shuǐ nínggù chéng bīng.

Water solidifies into ice.

他凝视着远方。

Tā níngshì zhe yuǎnfāng.

He gazes into the distance.

凝聚力使团队强大。

Níngjùlì shǐ tuánduì qiángdà.

Cohesion makes the team strong.

湖面凝结了一层薄冰。

Húmiàn níngjié le yī céng báo bīng.

A thin layer of ice formed on the lake surface.

她凝神倾听他的故事。

Tā níngshén qīngtīng tā de gùshì.

She concentrates on listening to his story.

空气中的水汽凝结成露珠。

Kōngqì zhōng de shuǐqì níngjié chéng lùzhū.

The moisture in the air condenses into dew.

他的目光凝滞在旧照片上。

Tā de mùguāng níngzhì zài jiù zhàopiàn shàng.

His gaze fixed on the old photo.

这篇散文语言凝练，意境深远。

Zhè piān sǎnwén yǔyán níngliàn, yìjìng shēnyuǎn.

This prose has concise language and a profound artistic conception.

Related Characters

Component: 冫

Component: 疑

凝