How to Write 撵 (niǎn) — Meaning “to drive out; to oust; to expel”

Picture yourself using your hand (扌) to push a cart (辇) that is carrying an unwanted guest out the door. The cart represents the 辇 part, and the hand shows the action — you are literally "hand-carting" someone out. This visual helps connect the radical and component to the meaning of driving out.

The left radical 扌 has three strokes: horizontal, vertical hook, and a short lift — make sure the vertical hook is not too long. The right side 辇 has a top part with two 夫 (husband) characters stacked, but the second 夫 is slightly narrower; common mistakes include making the bottom 夫 too wide or forgetting the radical’s final lift.

撵 (niǎn) means to drive out or expel, while 搋 (chuāi) means to knead or hide something in a pocket, and 搌 (zhǎn) means to wipe or mop up. Visually, 撵 has the 辇 component and a total of 15 strokes, whereas 搋 has 扌 plus 揣 (13 strokes) and 搌 has 扌 plus 展 (13 strokes). Their meanings and pronunciations are completely different, so focus on the right-side phonetic clue for each.

撵 is common in everyday spoken Chinese, especially in phrases like 撵走 (to kick out) or 撵人 (to drive someone away). It often carries a rude or forceful tone — for example, a landlord might 撵走 a tenant, or a host might 撵 a guest who overstays. Culturally, using 撵 directly can be impolite, so it is usually reserved for strong dismissal situations.

Common words containing 撵 include: 撵走 (niǎn zǒu) — to drive away; to kick out; 撵出 (niǎn chū) — to kick out; to drive out; 撵人 (niǎn rén) — to drive someone away.