How to Write 尼 (ní) — Meaning “Buddhist nun”

Imagine a Buddhist nun sitting still like a corpse (尸) while holding a small spoon (匕) for alms. This image combines the two parts to help you recall the character 尼. The spoon shape also looks like the curved bottom stroke.

Write the top radical 尸 first: horizontal fold, left-falling stroke, then horizontal line. Then add the bottom 匕: left-falling stroke followed by a vertical hook. A common mistake is making the bottom hook too large or writing it like a sharp angle instead of a smooth curve.

尼 differs from 尸 by having the additional component 匕 (spoon) below, making 5 strokes instead of 3. Unlike 尹 (which means 'govern'), 尼 has a vertical hook at the bottom instead of a second horizontal line. Remember: 尼 has a curved hook like a spoon, while 尹 has two flat horizontals.

尼 is most often used in transliterations, such as 尼龙 (nylon) and 迪士尼 (Disney). In a religious context, 尼姑 refers to a Buddhist nun, but this term is less common in daily conversation. The character is not part of HSK vocabulary, so learners may mostly encounter it in brand names or cultural references.

Common words containing 尼 include: 尼姑 (ní gū) — Buddhist nun; 尼龙 (ní lóng) — nylon; 迪士尼 (dí shì ní) — Disney.