How to Write 氮 (dàn) — Meaning “Nitrogen”

Imagine a balloon filled with nitrogen gas (气) that is so hot it looks like a flame (炎). The "flame" inside the gas symbol reminds you that nitrogen is a key part of air, but it is not flammable itself. This visual of a hot nitrogen balloon can help link the components to the meaning.

When writing 氮, note that the left radical 气 must be written with the horizontal stroke crossing through the middle, and the hook at the bottom is important. The right part 炎 has four strokes in the top 火 and four in the bottom 火 — make sure the two 火 components are stacked neatly, with the bottom one slightly wider. A common mistake is making the 气 radical too narrow or forgetting the hook.

氮 (nitrogen) is distinct from 氤 (yīn, meaning swirling mist or dense atmosphere) and 氦 (hài, helium). Visually, 氮 contains 炎 (two fires), while 氤 has 因 (cause) and 氦 has 亥 (a Chinese zodiac sign). In usage, 氮 is common in chemistry and agriculture, 氤 is literary and rare, and 氦 refers to the noble gas helium.

氮 is used in everyday terms like 氮气 (nitrogen gas, a common industrial gas) and 氮肥 (nitrogen fertilizer, essential in farming). Liquid nitrogen (液氮) is popular in cooking for making ice cream or freezing foods. In Chinese culture, nitrogen is not particularly symbolic, but its role in agriculture makes 氮肥 a familiar word for many people.

Common words containing 氮 include: 氮气 (dàn qì) — Nitrogen gas; 氮肥 (dàn féi) — Nitrogen fertilizer; 液氮 (yè dàn) — Liquid nitrogen.