泥 Stroke Order — How to Write 泥
泥 is written in 8 strokes, following the standard Chinese stroke order. Start from the radical 氵, then complete the remaining strokes.
Stroke order matters in Chinese: it keeps the character balanced, and it is how dictionaries and handwriting input methods expect a character to be written.
泥 Radical and Character Components
泥 is a phono-semantic compound: 氵 (water) carries the meaning, while 尼 indicates the sound.
Radical: 氵 + 5 more strokes
泥 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- ní
- nì
Meanings of 泥 in Chinese
1
ní泥
Mud, mire, or a paste-like substance made from earth and water.
下雨后，小路变得很泥泞
After the rain, the path became very muddy.
A paste-like substance, often made from mashed food or other materials, such as jujube paste, yam paste, inkpad, or garlic paste.
这道菜里加了蒜泥，味道更好了。
Garlic paste was added to this dish, making its flavor even better.
2
nì泥
To plaster, to smear, or to caulk (e.g., a wall, a crack or seam).
他把墙上的裂缝都泥好了。
He plastered all the cracks on the wall.
To be stubborn, rigid, or inflexible; to adhere strictly to old ways or rules without adapting, as in 'jūnì' (to adhere rigidly) or 'nígǔ' (to stick to ancient customs).
我们不应泥守旧规，而要勇于创新。
We should not rigidly adhere to old rules, but rather be brave in innovation.
Common Words and Phrases with 泥
1
2
A job in a collective or private enterprise, which is less stable or secure compared to a state-owned job (an 'iron rice bowl').
很多年轻人选择在私营企业工作，虽然收入可能更高，但相比于国有企业的稳定，这种工作常被戏称为‘泥饭碗’，因为它缺乏长期保障。
Many young people choose to work in private enterprises; although their income might be higher, compared to the stability of state-owned enterprises, these jobs are often jokingly referred to as 'mud rice bowls' because they lack long-term security.
3
To seal a letter or document with mud and an imprinted seal, a practice common in ancient China.
考古学家在古墓中发现了一批保存完好的竹简，上面还有清晰的泥封和印章痕迹。
Archaeologists discovered a batch of well-preserved bamboo slips in the ancient tomb, still bearing clear clay seals and seal impressions.
4
A construction worker who lays bricks, applies plaster, or sets tiles; a bricklayer, mason, plasterer, or tiler.
这座老房子的修缮工作主要由经验丰富的泥工完成。
The renovation work of this old house was mainly completed by experienced masons.
5
dirt and grime
这辆车停在路边太久，车身上积满了泥垢。
This car has been parked on the roadside for too long, and its body is covered in mud and grime.
6
to rigidly adhere to ancient ways or ideas; to be hidebound by tradition or ancient customs
在快速变化的时代，如果只知道泥古不化，企业就很难跟上市场步伐。
In a rapidly changing era, if an enterprise only adheres rigidly to old ways, it will be difficult for it to keep pace with the market.
7
muddy and slippery
雨后的小路变得泥滑，行走需小心。
After the rain, the small path became muddy and slippery, so one needs to walk carefully.
8
A thick liquid mixture of fine clay and water, also known as slurry or mud.
工人们小心翼翼地将泥浆倒入模具中，以制作精美的陶瓷器皿
Workers carefully poured the slip into the molds to create exquisite ceramic ware.
9
Gold paint, or a coating material made of powdered gold or other metals and glue.
她用泥金在扇面上绘制出精美的图案。
She used gold paint to draw exquisite patterns on the fan surface.
10
A mud pit or a quagmire.
他发现自己陷入了一个无法自拔的泥坑，工作和生活都一团糟。
He found himself in an inescapable quagmire, with both his work and life in a mess.
11
Mud, mire, or a difficult predicament that is hard to escape.
大雨过后，田间小路变得一片泥淖，行走十分困难。
After the heavy rain, the path through the fields turned into a quagmire, making walking very difficult.
12
Muddy; soft, wet ground that is difficult to walk through.
大雨过后，小路变得非常泥泞，行走不便。
After the heavy rain, the path became very muddy and difficult to walk on.
13
To disappear completely and never return, like a clay ox dissolving in the sea.
他投入了大量时间和金钱在这个项目上，结果却泥牛入海，什么也没剩下。
He invested a lot of time and money into this project, but it all vanished without a trace, leaving nothing behind.
14
A clay idol; a deity statue made of clay for worship.
他现在自己都困难重重，就像泥菩萨过江，自身难保，怎么还能帮别人呢？
He is currently facing so many difficulties, just like a mud idol crossing a river, barely able to protect himself, how can he possibly help others?
15
Like a clay idol fording a river, hardly able to save oneself (let alone anyone else); to be in great difficulty and unable to help others.
他现在自己的生意都快撑不下去了，真是泥菩萨过江，自身难保，怎么还能指望他帮助别人呢？
His own business is on the verge of collapsing now, he's truly like a clay Bodhisattva crossing a river, barely able to save himself. How can anyone expect him to help others?
16
Loach, a small, elongated freshwater fish often found in muddy bottoms of rivers, lakes, and rice paddies, known for its slender, slimy body and small scales.
爷爷喜欢在池塘里钓泥鳅。
Grandpa likes to fish for loaches in the pond.
More words with 泥
- yū淤ní泥silt, sludge
- jiāo胶ní泥clay, sticky mud
- làn烂ní泥Mud; slush.
- táng塘ní泥Pond sludge or silt.
- jū拘nì泥stick rigidly to, adhere strictly to
- yìn印ní泥seal paste, ink paste
- gòu垢ní泥Sludge, Grime
- suàn蒜ní泥garlic paste, garlic puree
- wēi崴ní泥Mess up, Screw up
- wū污ní泥sludge
- zhì滞ní泥Sludge accumulation, Mud retention
- gāng钢gǔ骨shuǐ水ní泥reinforced concrete
- zhí执ní泥Obstinate, Inflexible
- jùn浚ní泥chuán船Dredger, Dredging vessel
- ní泥shā沙silt, mud and sand
- ní泥tǔ土soil, dirt
- ní泥bǎn板clay tablet, mud slab
- ní泥sù塑clay sculpture, clay figure
- ní泥tān滩mudflat, tidal flat
- ní泥zhǎo沼mud, mire
Idioms with 泥
- ní泥chuán船dù渡hé河in a precarious situation
- ní泥duō多fó佛dà大More input, greater achievement
- nì泥gǔ古bù不huà化rigidly adhere to ancient conventions
- ní泥shā沙jù俱xià下good and bad mixed together
- ní泥sù塑mù木diāo雕stiff and expressionless like a dummy
- ní泥zú足jù巨rén人outwardly strong but inwardly weak
- chèn趁shuǐ水huò和ní泥seize opportunity to accomplish something
- làn烂zuì醉rú如ní泥dead drunk
- mù木diāo雕ní泥sù塑stiff, unresponsive, or expressionless
- pàn判ruò若yún云ní泥worlds apart
- tuō拖ní泥dài带shuǐ水sloppy, indecisive, or not straightforward
- wū污ní泥zhuó浊shuǐ水filth and mire
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Open the tool →Questions about 泥
What does 泥 mean in Chinese?
泥 (ní) means “Mud” in Chinese.
How do you pronounce 泥?
泥 has 2 pronunciations: ní, nì.
How many strokes does 泥 have?
泥 has 8 strokes.
How do you write 泥?
泥 is written in 8 strokes, starting from the radical 氵. See the animated stroke order on this page.
What is the radical of 泥?
The radical of 泥 is 氵, and 泥 is a phono-semantic compound.