宁

寕/寧/甯

nìng, níng

丁 + 宀

Definitions

nìng (adverb) would rather; prefer

níng (adjective) peaceful; calm

níng (verb) to pacify; to visit (relatives)

Etymology

Pictograph of a container for storing things. Original form of 貯. In simplified Chinese 宁 is also used to mean "peaceful", while in traditional Chinese this meaning is written with a separate character 寧.

Semantic: 宀 Phonetic: 丁

About

宁 originally depicted a container for storing things and was the ancient form of 貯 (to store). In the 20th-century simplification of Chinese characters, this existing graph was repurposed to write the word for "peaceful", replacing the complex traditional character 寧. That traditional form combined 宀 (roof), 心 (heart), 皿 (dish), and the phonetic 丁, evoking a scene of a full dish and a calm heart under shelter, a fitting image for peace and domestic security. The simplified 宁 retains only the roof and phonetic elements, yet it now fully carries the meanings of tranquility and serenity in modern usage.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

安宁的生活很可贵。

Ānníng de shēnghuó hěn kěguì.

A peaceful life is precious.

今晚的街道格外宁静。

Jīnwǎn de jiēdào géwài níngjìng.

The streets are especially quiet tonight.

我们宁愿走路也不坐车。

Wǒmen nìngyuàn zǒulù yě bù zuòchē.

We would rather walk than take the car.

妈妈宁可自己辛苦点。

Māma nìngkě zìjǐ xīnkǔ diǎn.

Mom would rather bear the hardship herself.

他心神不宁地走来走去。

Tā xīnshén bù níng de zǒu lái zǒu qù.

He walked back and forth, feeling restless.

我宁愿相信他是无心的。

Wǒ nìngyuàn xiāngxìn tā shì wúxīn de.

I would rather believe he didn't mean it.

与其苟且偷生，宁死不屈。

Yǔqí gǒuqiě tōushēng, nìng sǐ bù qū.

Rather than living in dishonor, they would die before yielding.

这项工程宁缓勿急，务必保证质量。

Zhè xiàng gōngchéng nìng huǎn wù jí, wùbì bǎozhèng zhìliàng.

This project should prioritize slowness over haste; quality must be guaranteed.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 丁

Component: 宀

宁