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凝 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
凝níngto congealv, 16 strokes, radical 冫, rank #11144, Hard
凝níngto concentrate attentionv, 16 strokes, radical 冫, rank #11144, Hard
凝níngto starev, 16 strokes, radical 冫, rank #11144, Hard
凝níngto coagulate, to congeal; to freezev, 16 strokes, radical 冫, rank #11144, Hard
níng(ning2) T2
  1. 1to congeal
  2. 2to concentrate attention
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March 24, 2026
凝níng(ning2)

The character '凝' (níng) primarily means to congeal or coagulate, often used in contexts involving liquids that solidify or become more concentrated. Additionally, it can refer to the act of concentrating one’s attention or staring intently at something, signaling a focus on the subject matter or the emotional state involved.

Strokes16Radical冫Frequency#11144DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, the term '凝' can refer to the process of making gelatinous dishes, illustrating the importance of texture in culinary traditions. This character reflects the cultural appreciation for the transformation of ingredients.

Memory Tip

Imagine a thick, gooey substance that '凝' (níng) slowly congeals over time, much like how one might stare at something with intense focus. The top part of the character resembles a droplet, while the bottom suggests a solid form, emphasizing the transition from liquid to solid.

Meanings of 凝

níng(ning2)
1to congeal
2to concentrate attention
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 凝

凝Simplified
16Strokes
冫Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#11144Frequency Rank

Podcast: 凝

JasonAmy

Podcast: 凝

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 凝

Quick Contrast

凝 (níng) vs 凝聚 (níngjù) — use 凝 for the act of congealing or focusing, while 凝聚 specifically refers to the process of gathering or clustering together.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a thick, gooey substance that '凝' (níng) slowly congeals over time, much like how one might stare at something with intense focus. The top part of the character resembles a droplet, while the bottom suggests a solid form, emphasizing the transition from liquid to solid.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse '凝' with similar characters that can imply different actions, such as '凝视' (níngshì) which specifically means to stare. This character is more formal and often used in literary contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversation unless appropriate.

HSK Study Tips

While '凝' is not on the HSK list, it connects to other characters related to concentration and states of matter. Focus on understanding its usage in contexts of both physical and mental concentration, as well as its collocations like '凝固' (nínggù), meaning to solidify.

Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, the term '凝' can refer to the process of making gelatinous dishes, illustrating the importance of texture in culinary traditions. This character reflects the cultural appreciation for the transformation of ingredients.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse '凝' by confusing it with less formal terms for 'to stare,' such as '看' (kàn). For example, saying '我凝他' (Wǒ níng tā) is incorrect; instead, use '我看着他' (Wǒ kànzhe tā) for 'I am looking at him.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 凝

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Etymology of 凝

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

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

Memory Hint

ice

Semantic (meaning)冫
+
Phonetic (sound)疑
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 凝?

Decomposition of 凝

IDS Structure⿰冫疑
凝Full Character
=
冫bing1
left
疑yi2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 凝?

Write 凝

凝

Practice writing 凝 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 凝

凝 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

这位大人____视的目光离开火苗，与上校的目光相遇。

The Monsignor turned his gaze from the flames to meet the Colonel's.

Example Sentences for 凝 (10)

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1
这位大人凝视的目光离开火苗，与上校的目光相遇。

zhè wèi dà rén níng shì de mù guāng lí kāi huǒ miáo， ， yǔ shàng xiào de mù guāng xiāng。

The Monsignor turned his gaze from the flames to meet the Colonel's.
2
不过，缺乏的是一种内在的艺术凝聚力。

bù guò， ， quē fá de shì yī zhǒng nèi zài de yì shù níng jù。

What is missing, however, is an internal, artistic cohesion.
3
她凝视着他的眼睛，一脸诚恳。

tā níng shì zháo tā de yǎn jīng， ， yī liǎn chéng。

Her eyes stared into his with an expression of absolute honesty.
4
建筑工人在8根细柱上架起轻巧的混凝土穹顶。

jiàn zhù gōng rén zài8 8 gēn xì zhù shàng jià qǐ qīng qiǎo de hùn níng tǔ qióng。

The builders have perched a light concrete dome on eight slender columns.
5
她转身凝视着那条河，避开他的目光。

tā zhuǎn shēn níng shì zháo nà tiáo hé， ， bì kāi tā de mù。

She turned and gazed at the river, evading his eyes.
6
蛋白一煮就会凝结，并且浮起来。

dàn bái yī zhǔ jiù huì níng jié， ， bìng qiě fú qǐ。

As the egg whites cook, they coagulate and rise to the surface.
7
最终，水会渗透进周围的混凝土中。

zuì zhōng， ， shuǐ huì shèn tòu jìn zhōu wéi de hùn níng tǔ。

Eventually, the water will permeate through the surrounding concrete.
8
他双眼凝视着她，令她全身瘫软，不能动弹。

tā shuāng yǎn níng shì zháo tā， ， líng tā quán shēn tān， ruǎn ， bù néng。

His eyes bored into her, paralysing her, robbing her of movement.
9
他凝视着雨点溅落在玻璃上。

tā níng shì zháo yǔ diǎn jiàn luò zài bō lí shàng。

He stared at the rain spattering on the glass.
10
丹在自己的船舱里朝舱外凝视着。

dān zài zì jǐ de chuán cāng lǐ zhāo cāng wài níng shì zháo。

Dan was in his cabin, staring out of a porthole.

Cultural Notes for 凝

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese cuisine, the term '凝' can refer to the process of making gelatinous dishes, illustrating the importance of texture in culinary traditions. This character reflects the cultural appreciation for the transformation of ingredients.

Word Family of 凝

Words Containing This Character20
凝níngto congeal
混凝土hùnníngtǔconcrete
凝聚níngjùto condense
凝视níngshìto gaze at凝視
凝固nínggùto freeze
凝结to condense凝結
凝聚力cohesion
凝望to gaze at
凝重dignified
凝血blood clot
凝神with rapt attention
凝集to gather
凝血酶thrombin (biochemistry)
凝练concise凝練
凝滞to stagnate凝滯
凝集素agglutinin
凝固剂coagulant凝固劑
凝固点freezing point凝固點
混凝剂coagulant混凝劑
杨凝式Yang Ningshi (873-954) calligrapher of 5 dynasties period between Tang and Song楊凝式
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 凝 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 凝

'凝' is a general term for congealing or concentrating, while '凝固' specifically refers to the process of solidifying, often used in contexts like cooking.