How to Write 镊 (niè) — Meaning “Tweezers / To nip”

Imagine metal tweezers (钅) pinching a little ear (耳) carefully, as if plucking a hair. The right side 聂 contains two 耳 (ear) radicals, so picture tweezers holding two ears gently. This visual reminds you of the nipping action and the metal tool.

The left radical 钅 should be written narrow and tall, with the final horizontal stroke angling upward slightly. The right side 聂 has three parts: two 耳 stacked vertically and then 又 at bottom; make sure the two 耳 are not too wide, and the bottom 又 is balanced. A common mistake is making the two 耳 too large, which throws off the character's proportions.

锖 (qiāng) is a rare character meaning "tarnish" or a type of metal color, and 锗 (zhě) means "germanium" (a chemical element). Both are pronounced differently from 镊 (niè). Visually, 镊 has the right side 聂, while 锖 has 青 and 锗 has 者; their meanings are completely unrelated to pinching or tweezers.

镊 is most commonly used in the word 镊子 (niè zi), meaning tweezers, essential in daily life for grooming or crafting. The compound 医用镊 refers to medical tweezers used by doctors. While not in HSK, this character is practical for learners interested in everyday tools or medical vocabulary.

Common words containing 镊 include: 镊子 (niè zi) — Tweezers; 用镊子 (yòng niè zi) — To use tweezers.; 医用镊 (yī yòng niè) — Medical tweezers..