naat6捺
Jyutpingnaat6
Yalenaaht
Definition
To restrain, or the downward-right concave stroke in Chinese calligraphy.
- technicaldownward-right concave stroke in Chinese calligraphy
- to restrain; to press down
neutralother
How it's used
Refers specifically to the diagonal stroke that sweeps downwards to the right in Chinese calligraphy. While it can mean to press down, it is almost exclusively used in the context of describing brushwork or handwriting techniques. It is rarely used in everyday speech to mean physical pressure, where words like 撳 or 按 are preferred.
Examples
When writing this character, make sure the final stroke is elegant.
Are you pressing too hard when you write that stroke?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 撳, which is the standard colloquial term for pressing a button or pushing something down physically. Using 捺 in a daily context like pressing a doorbell will sound extremely formal or archaic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
