How to Write 耐 (nài) — Meaning “To endure / Patient”

Imagine a patient person (寸 represents a steady hand) gently touching their own face (而 looks like a face with two eyes and a nose). This calm gesture reminds you of enduring or waiting patiently. The hand is still, not moving, which helps you recall the meaning of patience.

Write the top part 而 wide and flat, with strokes in this order: horizontal, left vertical, inner horizontal, middle horizontal, right vertical hook. Then write 寸 below: horizontal, vertical hook, then dot. A common mistake is making the top too narrow or forgetting the hook on the right side of 而.

All three share the top 而, but their bottoms differ: 耐 has 寸 (hand) meaning 'endure', 耍 has 女 (woman) meaning 'to play', and 耑 has 山 (mountain) meaning 'tip' or 'end'. So remember: patience needs a steady hand (寸), play involves a woman (女), and a mountain peak (山) is the tip.

耐 appears in common words like 耐心 (nài xīn, patience) and 耐用 (nài yòng, durable). It is often used to describe materials or personal qualities of endurance. In Chinese culture, 耐心 is a highly valued virtue, linked to perseverance and calmness in difficult situations.

Common words containing 耐 include: 耐心 (nài xīn) — Patience / Patient; 耐用 (nài yòng) — Durable; 耐热 (nài rè) — Heat-resistant.