How to Write 圼 (niè) — Meaning “To fill / To block”

Imagine the sun (日) shining brightly, but then someone throws earth (土) on top of it to block the light. This visual of covering the sun with dirt helps you remember that 圼 means "to block" or "to fill."

Write 土 first (horizontal, vertical, horizontal) then write 日 below (vertical, horizontal fold, horizontal, horizontal). Keep the width of 日 slightly narrower than 土's bottom stroke, and make sure the vertical strokes of 日 are straight to avoid a slanted character.

圣 has 又 (a hand) on top of 土, meaning "holy" or "sacred," while 圼 has 土 on top of 日. Visually, 圣 looks like a hand over earth, whereas 圼 looks like earth over a sun. They are completely unrelated in meaning and usage.

圼 is very rare and not part of common vocabulary like HSK. It appears mostly in classical or technical texts, such as ancient descriptions of filling gaps with earth. Modern speakers would use simpler words like 填 (tián) or 堵 (dǔ) instead.

Common words containing 圼 include: 圼土 (niè tǔ) — To fill with earth; 圼塞 (niè sāi) — To block up; 圼合 (niè hé) — To join together.