How to Write 钉 (dīng/dìng) — Meaning “Nail / To nail”

Imagine a metal nail with a flat head shaped like the character 丁. The left side 钅 looks like a metal strip, and the right side 丁 looks like the nail itself. Picture hammering this metal nail into a board to remember the meaning.

Pay attention to the left radical 钅: it has a hook at the bottom of the first stroke, and the last two strokes are a horizontal and a vertical line. The right part 丁 is written with a horizontal stroke followed by a vertical hook. Common mistakes include making the vertical hook too short or forgetting the hook on the left radical.

钅 is the radical itself, used as a component in many metal-related characters, and is not a standalone character in modern Chinese. 钆 (gá) is a rare character meaning a type of metal (gadolinium). In contrast, 钉 is a common character meaning nail or to nail, and is used in everyday words like 钉子 (nail).

钉 is used both as a noun meaning "nail" (e.g., 钉子) and as a verb meaning "to nail" (e.g., 钉钉子, to hammer a nail). It also appears in words like 螺丝钉 (screw) and 钉扣子 (to sew on a button). Culturally, 钉子户 refers to a "nail house"—a household that refuses to relocate during urban development, symbolizing stubborn resistance.

Common words containing 钉 include: 钉子 (dīng zi) — Nail; 螺丝钉 (luó sī dīng) — screw / bolt; 钉扣子 (dìng kòu zi) — To sew on a button..