念

Tap the pinyin to hear it

to read; to study (a subject); to attend (a school); to read aloud; to give (sb) a tongue-lashing (CL:頓|顿[dun4]); to miss (sb); idea; remembrance; twenty (banker's anti-fraud numeral corresponding to 廿[nian4])

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HSK 3.0: Level 3
Old HSK: Level 5
Strokes: 8
Radical: 心 +4
Structure: Top–bottom 上下
Traditional: 念
Common rank: #766
Unicode: U+5FF5

Sound it out + + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

How 念 is formed

Ideographic compound (会意字)

To keep the present 今 in mind 心

Components 今心

How to remember it

miss · Heisig RSH #1246

clock + 心 heart

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

Words with 念

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
家家有本难念的经	jiā jiā yǒu běn nán niàn de jīng	every family has its problems (idiom)
非分之念	fēi fèn zhī niàn	improper idea
一念之差	yī niàn zhī chā	momentary slip; false step; ill-considered action
念学位	niàn xué wèi	to study for a degree; to take a degree course
念头	niàn tou	thought; idea; intention
心心念念	xīn xīn niàn niàn	(idiom) to constantly think about; to be preoccupied with; to set one's heart on
体念	tǐ niàn	to consider sb else's position; to put oneself in sb else's shoes
念力	niàn lì	psychokinesis; telekinesis
数念	shǔ niàn	to enumerate one by one
理念	lǐ niàn	idea; concept; philosophy; theory
念日	niàn rì	memorial day; commemoration day
远来的和尚会念经	yuǎn lái de hé shang huì niàn jīng	the monk coming from afar is good at reading scriptures (idiom); foreign talent is valued …
可念	kě niàn	(literary) pitiable; (literary) endearing; (literary) deserving of gratitude
念念有词	niàn niàn yǒu cí	variant of 念念有詞\|念念有词[nian4 nian4 you3 ci2]
念念有词	niàn niàn yǒu cí	to mumble; to mutter to oneself
念经	niàn jīng	to recite or chant Buddhist scripture
念想儿	niàn xiang r	(coll.) keepsake; memento; (coll.) impression (of sb or sth in one's mind)
意念	yì niàn	idea; thought
念书	niàn shū	to read; to study; to attend school
意念移物	yì niàn yí wù	telekinesis

Sound family

These characters use 念 as their sound component — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
念 sound part	niàn	to think of, to recall; to study
稔	rěn	ripe grain; to harvest; to know well
捻	niǎn	to twist or nip with the fingers
鲶	nián	catfish; sheat
埝	niàn	dike, embankment; protuberance