蔫 (niān) - Wilted, withered, faded & listless, spiritless

蔫Tone 1

niān ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

楠念

蔫 · niān

Wilted, withered, faded;

listless, spiritless;

to wither, to droop;

(slang) quiet, subdued.

Wilted, withered, fadedlistless, spiritlessto wither, to droop

Usage highlights

Wilted flowersListless appearanceQuietlyWithered grassFadedSpiritless

Synonyms

  • 萎— wither, wilt
  • 枯— withered, dried up

Antonyms

  • 旺— vigorous, flourishing
  • 盛— flourishing, prosperous

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The flowers have wilted in the heat (花蔫了).
  • He became listless after the failure (他蔫了).
  • The child was unusually quiet today (这孩子今天蔫蔫的).
  • The vegetable leaves are drooping (菜叶蔫了).

Collocations

  • Wilted flowers(蔫花)
  • Listless appearance(蔫头耷脑)
  • Quietly(蔫不吭声)
  • Withered grass(蔫草)
  • Faded(蔫巴)
  • Spiritless(蔫蔫的)

Idioms

  • Listless and dejected(蔫头耷脑)
  • Sneaky bad(蔫儿坏)
  • Wither and die(蔫萎而死)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used to describe plants losing vitality due to lack of water or excessive heat.
  • Extended metaphorically to describe people's low spirits, lack of energy, or quiet, subdued behavior.
  • In northern Chinese dialects, '蔫儿坏' describes someone who is sly or mischievous in a quiet, unassuming way.

FAQ