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March 24, 2026
敏mǐn(min3)
The character 敏 (mǐn) primarily means 'quick' or 'agile,' often used to describe a person's mental or physical speed and cleverness. It can also imply a certain level of intelligence or astuteness in situations requiring quick thinking or adaptability.
Strokes11Radical攵Frequency#8207DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, being described as 敏 is often a compliment, indicating not only speed but also wisdom and adaptability, traits valued in both personal and professional life.
Memory Tip
Imagine a nimble cat (猫, māo) darting swiftly around, showcasing its agility and cleverness. The character 敏 looks like a cat running fast, with the '土' (earth) at the bottom representing the ground it swiftly navigates.
Meanings of 敏
mǐn(min3)
1quick
2nimble
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 敏
敏Simplified
11Strokes
攵Radical
形容词性语素xíngróngcíadjective root (adj.root)Part of Speech
#8207Frequency Rank
Podcast: 敏
Podcast: 敏
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AI Study Notes for 敏
Quick Contrast
灵 (líng) - use 敏 (mǐn) when emphasizing quickness or agility in thought or action, while 灵 (líng) often refers to being clever or spiritually responsive.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a nimble cat (猫, māo) darting swiftly around, showcasing its agility and cleverness. The character 敏 looks like a cat running fast, with the '土' (earth) at the bottom representing the ground it swiftly navigates.
Usage Notes
While 敏 is often used in both informal and formal contexts, be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters like 明 (míng), which means 'bright.' Common collocations include 敏捷 (mǐnjié - agile) and 敏感 (mǐngǎn - sensitive). Pay attention to the third tone to avoid misunderstanding.
HSK Study Tips
Although 敏 is not an HSK word, it relates to other HSK vocabulary like 聪明 (cōngmíng - smart) and 快 (kuài - fast). Students should focus on recognizing its use in describing abilities and characteristics in conversations.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, being described as 敏 is often a compliment, indicating not only speed but also wisdom and adaptability, traits valued in both personal and professional life.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 敏 by confusing it with other similar characters. For instance, saying '他很敏感' (tā hěn mǐngǎn - he is very sensitive) when they mean 'quick' is incorrect. Make sure to use 敏 in contexts related to speed or cleverness.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 敏
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Grammar Patterns of 敏
敏 carries 6 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
黑暗中我的听觉变得异常灵____。
In the dark my sense of hearing becomes so acute.
Common Confusions with 敏
敏vs闷
mèn
Similar shape and sound, but meanings are different.
Exercise 1 of 1
Spot the Difference
Which character means "quick"?
or
Example Sentences for 敏 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
黑暗中我的听觉变得异常灵敏。
hēi àn zhōng wǒ de tīng jué biàn dé yì cháng líng mǐn。
In the dark my sense of hearing becomes so acute.
2
“整本书你都读完了吗？”她目光敏锐地问道。
“ “ zhěng běn shū nǐ dū dú wán le？” ma ？” tā mù guāng mǐn ruì dì。
"Have you read the whole book?" she asks, gimlet-eyed.
Someone allergic to milk is likely to react to cheese.
10
敏感肌肤专用面霜不会破坏皮肤表面的保护层。
mǐn gǎn jī fū zhuān yòng miàn shuāng bù huì pò huài pí fū biǎo miàn de bǎo hù céng。
Sensitive Cream will not strip away the skin's protective layer.
Cultural Notes for 敏
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, being described as 敏 is often a compliment, indicating not only speed but also wisdom and adaptability, traits valued in both personal and professional life.
Word Family of 敏
Compounds1
鳘min3codfish
Words Containing This Character11
敏感mǐngǎnsensitive
过敏guòmǐnallergic過敏
敏mǐnquick
敏锐mǐnruìkeen敏銳
敏捷mǐnjiénimble
灵敏língmǐnsmart靈敏
敏感性sensitive
过敏性hypersensitive過敏性
灵敏度(level of) sensitivity靈敏度
机敏agility機敏
聪敏quick聰敏
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 鳘 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 敏
Yes, 敏 is often found in phrases that emphasize quickness or cleverness. For instance, the phrase 敏思 (mǐnsī) refers to quick thinking or agility of thought.
Some synonyms for 敏 include 机灵 (jīlíng), which means clever or smart, and 灵活 (línghuó), meaning flexible or agile. These words share similar connotations of quickness and intelligence.
敏 (mǐn) means quick, nimble, agile, clever, or smart. It is often used to describe someone who is quick-witted or sharp in understanding.
You can use 敏 in a sentence to describe someone's agility or intelligence, for example: 他反应敏捷 (tā fǎnyìng mǐnjié) means 'He has a quick reaction.' This showcases the ability to respond swiftly to situations.
You can say '他很敏捷' (tā hěn mǐnjié), meaning 'He is very agile.'
It can refer to both physical and mental agility, but it often emphasizes quick thinking.
No, 敏 is typically used to describe people or their qualities, not inanimate objects.
