How to Write 纽 (niǔ) — Meaning “button, knob, link”

Imagine a silk thread (纟) being used to sew a button onto a shirt, and the button looks like a twisted face (丑). The "ugly" face helps you recall the right side 丑, and the thread reminds you it's a button that fastens clothes.

Stroke order: first write 纟 (left side) with three strokes — 撇折, 撇折, 提. Then write 丑 (right side) with four strokes: 横折, 竖, 横, 横. A common mistake is making the bottom of 丑 too wide or confusing it with 五 — keep the middle vertical stroke short and the bottom horizontal lines even.

纽 (niǔ) means button or link, with 丑 on the right. 纠 (jiū) means to correct or twist, and its right side is 丩 (a knot-like shape). 纡 (yū) means to bend or circuitous, with 于 (yú) on the right. Pay attention to the right-side component: 丑 for buttons, 丩 for twisting, and 于 for bending.

纽 appears in common words like 纽约 (Niǔ Yuē, New York) as a phonetic loan, and 纽扣 (niǔ kòu, button) for clothing fasteners. It also appears in 枢纽 (shū niǔ, hub or key axis), such as a transportation hub. Culturally, 纽约 is the standard Chinese name for the US city, so this character is very recognizable to learners.

Common words containing 纽 include: 纽约 (niǔ yuē) — New York; 纽扣 (niǔ kòu) — button; 枢纽 (shū niǔ) — hub; key axis.