How to Write 娓 (wěi) — Meaning “tireless”

Imagine a woman (女) with a long tail (尾) who never stops talking – she is 'tireless' like a storyteller. The tail reminds you that the right side is pronounced wěi, just like 尾. This mental picture helps you recall both the form and the meaning of 娓.

Write the left radical 女 first with three strokes, keeping it narrow. Then write the right part 尾: start with 尸 (three strokes), then add 毛 (four strokes) – note that the last stroke of 毛 is a vertical hook. A common mistake is making the 女 too wide or misplacing the horizontal strokes in 尾, so keep proportions balanced.

妮 (nī) means 'girl' and has the phonetic 尼, while 妯 (zhóu) refers to a 'wife of one's brother' with the component 由. In contrast, 娓 (wěi) means 'tireless' and is used in words about eloquent speech. Visually, the right side is different: 尾 in 娓, 尼 in 妮, and 由 in 妯.

娓 is not common alone but appears in literary or formal expressions like 娓娓动听 (wěi wěi dòng tīng), meaning 'pleasing to the ear,' and 娓娓而谈 (wěi wěi ér tán), meaning 'to talk eloquently.' It describes speech that is fluent and captivating, often used in reviews of stories or speeches.

Common words containing 娓 include: 娓娓 (wěi wěi) — eloquently; 娓娓动听 (wěi wěi dòng tīng) — pleasing to the ear; 娓娓而谈 (wěi wěi ér tán) — to talk eloquently.