How to Write 啮 (niè) — Meaning “to gnaw; to bite”

Imagine a mouth (口) with teeth (齿) inside it, chewing on something hard. This visual of teeth biting down helps you recall that 啮 means to gnaw or bite.

Write the left mouth radical (口) first, then the right component 齿, which starts with a small 止-like shape and ends with a bottom 凵 and 人. Keep the left mouth smaller and slightly higher than the right tooth part to maintain balance.

啮 contains 齿 (tooth), emphasizing gnawing or biting, while 呲 has 此 and means to scold or make a hissing sound, and 咠 has 耳 and means to whisper. Visually, 齿 inside the right side is the key difference.

啮 appears in technical or scientific terms like 啮齿类 (rodents, literally 'gnawing-tooth type') and 啮合 (gear meshing). It is not common in everyday conversation but is essential for describing animals that gnaw or mechanical parts that fit together.

Common words containing 啮 include: 啮齿类 (niè chǐ lèi) — rodents; 啮合 (niè hé) — to mesh; to engage (gears); 咬啮 (yǎo niè) — to gnaw; to bite.