How to Write 韧 (rèn) — Meaning “tough; resilient”

Imagine a piece of leather (韦) that is so tough it can stop a knife blade (刃) from cutting through it. This mental picture of leather resisting a blade directly reminds you that 韧 means tough and resilient. You can also think of the word 'reinforce' because the leather reinforces the blade.

Write the left radical 韦 first: two horizontal lines, then a left-falling turn stroke, and finally a vertical line. The right side 刃 begins with a horizontal turn hook, followed by a left-falling stroke and a small dot. Common mistakes include making the hook on 刃 too large or forgetting the dot completely.

韧性 (rènxìng) means toughness or resilience, used for materials like steel or for a person's mental endurance. 坚韧 (jiānrèn) describes someone who is tough and tenacious, often in challenges. 柔韧 (róurèn) means flexible yet tough, like bamboo or rubber, and is used for physical objects or character.

韧 is used in formal or written Chinese to describe physical toughness or mental resilience. Culturally, resilience is highly valued, and you often see it in idioms like 坚韧不拔 (jiānrèn bùbá), meaning 'firm and indomitable'. It appears in sports, business, and personal development discussions to praise perseverance.

Common words containing 韧 include: 韧性 (rèn xìng) — toughness; resilience; 坚韧 (jiān rèn) — tough / resilient / tenacious; 柔韧 (róu rèn) — flexible and tough.