How to Write 聂 (niè) — Meaning “Nie (a Chinese surname)”

To remember 聂, think of a person with an ear (耳) on top and two hands (双) below, cupping their ear to listen closely. The sound "niè" is like "knee" — you might bend your knee to get closer to the sound. This visual links the shape to the idea of listening.

Write the top 耳 (6 strokes) first, then the bottom 双 which is two 又 side by side (each 2 strokes). A common mistake is making the bottom 双 too narrow; it should be slightly wider than the top 耳 to balance the character. Also ensure the two 又 are the same size and do not touch each other.

Unlike 聂 which has a top-bottom structure, both 耵 and 耶 are left-right characters. 耵 (dīng) means 'earwax' and is very rare, while 耶 (yē) is used in the name 耶稣 (Jesus) or as a particle. Visually, 聂 has 双 (double) below the ear, 耵 has 丁 (nail), and 耶 has 阝 (right ear radical) on the right.

聂 is a common Chinese surname. It is most famously associated with 聂耳 (Niè Ěr), a composer who wrote the music for the Chinese national anthem. When you see this character, it almost always refers to a person's family name, so you can use it in introductions like 我姓聂 (My surname is Nie).

Common words containing 聂 include: 姓聂 (xìng niè) — Surname Nie; 聂先生 (niè xiān shēng) — Mr. Nie; 聂耳 (niè ěr) — Nie Er (a famous Chinese composer).