念 (niàn) is a Chinese character meaning “to think of”. It is written from 今 (now; the present) and 心 (heart; mind), one above the other, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “to think of”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
今 + 心
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: 说文解字（念，常思也。从心今聲）；现代字形拆分 IDS ⿱今心，笔画核验 今4 + 心4 = 8
Memory aid
今 (now) resting on 心 (heart): whatever sits on your heart right now is what you keep thinking of.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 想念xiǎng niànto miss (someone); to long for念 = niàn
- 念书niàn shūto study; to read aloud from a book念 = niàn
- 纪念jì niànto commemorate; a keepsake念 = niàn
- 念叨niàn daoto keep mentioning; to talk about repeatedly念 = niàn
- 怀念huái niànto cherish the memory of; to miss念 = niàn
- 悼念dào niànto grieve for; to mourn and remember念 = niàn
- 惦念diàn niànto keep thinking about; to worry about (someone far away)念 = niàn
- 挂念guà niànto miss; to be concerned about (someone)念 = niàn
Go deeper
All readings
to think of
to think of; to miss; to read aloud; to study
心里想着、惦记；也指出声地读或上学读书。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 想念xiǎng niànto miss (someone); to long for念 = niàn
- 念书niàn shūto study; to read aloud from a book念 = niàn
- 纪念jì niànto commemorate; a keepsake念 = niàn
- 念叨niàn daoto keep mentioning; to talk about repeatedly念 = niàn
- 怀念huái niànto cherish the memory of; to miss念 = niàn
- 悼念dào niànto grieve for; to mourn and remember念 = niàn
- 惦念diàn niànto keep thinking about; to worry about (someone far away)念 = niàn
- 挂念guà niànto miss; to be concerned about (someone)念 = niàn
Sound component
今 family diverged
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 念 mean?
念 (niàn) means to think of; to miss; to read aloud; to study.
How do you pronounce 念?
It is pronounced niàn.
What parts is 念 made of?
今 (now; the present) and 心 (heart; mind), one above the other. The recorded source is: 说文解字（念，常思也。从心今聲）；现代字形拆分 IDS ⿱今心，笔画核验 今4 + 心4 = 8. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 念 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 念?
心. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 念?
Common ones are 想念, 念书, 纪念. The reading of 念 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.