钮 (niǔ) is a Chinese character meaning “a button or knob you press or turn”. It is written from 钅 (metal radical (left-side form of 金)) and 丑 (ugly; clown), side by side, and takes 9 strokes.
Build the character for “button; knob”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
钅 + 丑
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分（对照 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 笔画核验：钅 5 画 + 丑 4 画 = 9 画；右侧 丑 与 纽 niǔ、扭 niǔ 同为一族声符）
Memory aid
Metal (钅) on the left, 丑 — the clown role in Chinese opera — on the right. Picture a little metal clown nose you press. That is a button.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
9 strokes
In real words
- 按钮àn niǔbutton; push button (on a machine or device)钮 = niǔ
- 旋钮xuán niǔknob; dial (that you turn)钮 = niǔ
Go deeper
All readings
button; knob
a button or knob you press or turn; also the handle/knob on a lid or seal
器物上用来按或转动的小把手，如按钮、旋钮；也指印章、器盖上的提手。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 按钮àn niǔbutton; push button (on a machine or device)钮 = niǔ
- 旋钮xuán niǔknob; dial (that you turn)钮 = niǔ
Sound component
丑 family diverged
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 钮 mean?
钮 (niǔ) means a button or knob you press or turn; also the handle/knob on a lid or seal.
How do you pronounce 钮?
It is pronounced niǔ.
What parts is 钮 made of?
钅 (metal radical (left-side form of 金)) and 丑 (ugly; clown), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分（对照 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 笔画核验：钅 5 画 + 丑 4 画 = 9 画；右侧 丑 与 纽 niǔ、扭 niǔ 同为一族声符）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 钮 have?
9. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 钮?
金. 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 钮?
Common ones are 按钮 and 旋钮. The reading of 钮 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.