How to Write 霓 (ní) — Meaning “Secondary rainbow; neon”

Imagine a rainbow (rain + 儿) as a child's drawing under the rain, but this rainbow is double — the secondary one is fainter. The 雨 on top reminds you it's a weather phenomenon, and the 儿 below can be thought of as a "little" or secondary version.

Write the top radical 雨 first with its horizontal stroke and four dots underneath. The lower part 儿 should be centered beneath 雨; common mistakes include making the lower part too tall or forgetting to keep it narrow. Note that 霓 has 16 strokes overall, so take care with the dot order in 雨.

需 means "need" and has 雨 on top with 而 (and) below — it lacks the "child" component. 霁 means "clear up after rain" and has 雨 with 齐 (orderly) below — it implies rain stopping, not a rainbow. In contrast, 霓 always relates to rainbows or neon lights.

霓 appears in common words like 霓虹灯 (neon light) and 霓裳 (celestial robes, referencing a famous Tang dynasty song). In Chinese culture, 霓 evokes the beauty of a rainbow, often used poetically to describe colorful or dreamlike things.

Common words containing 霓 include: 霓虹灯 (ní hóng dēng) — Neon light; 霓虹 (ní hóng) — Neon; 霓裳 (ní cháng) — Rainbow-colored clothes; celestial robes.