How to Write 镍 (niè) — Meaning “Nickel”

Think of a nickel coin (镍币) made of metal (钅) and imagine using it as a target (臬 means 'target' in ancient Chinese) for a game. This connects the metal radical with the sound and shape of the right side.

First write the left radical 钅 (5 strokes: left-falling, horizontal, horizontal, vertical-hook, dot). Then write the right side 臬: top part 自 (6 strokes) and bottom part 木 (4 strokes). A common mistake is making the top 自 too wide; keep it narrow so the bottom 木 can be balanced.

镍 (niè) has the right side 臬 (自 + 木), while 锗 (zhě) has 者 (耂 + 日) and 锖 (qiāng) has 青. They are also different in meaning: 镍 is nickel, 锗 is germanium, and 锖 is a rare character for tarnish.

镍 is used in science, industry, and finance, for example in words like 镀镍 (nickel-plating) and 镍币 (nickel coin). In Chinese history, nickel coins were used in the early 1900s, and today nickel is important for making stainless steel and batteries.

Common words containing 镍 include: 镍币 (niè bì) — Nickel coin; 镍元素 (niè yuán sù) — Nickel (element); 镀镍 (dù niè) — Nickel-plated.