nip6涅
Jyutpingnip6
Yalenihp
Definition
To blacken; to dye black, or refers to black mud or alum.
- to blacken; to dye black
- black mud; alum
writtennatureother
How it's used
This character is rarely used in modern spoken Cantonese and is almost exclusively found in technical, academic, or literary contexts. It is most commonly encountered when referring to the mineral alunite or in specific chemical processes involving blackening. You will almost never hear this in casual conversation, as native speakers prefer common words like 黑 for black or specific technical terms for minerals.
Examples
This chemical will cause the object to turn black.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 捏, which means to knead or pinch, because they look visually similar. Be careful not to use this in everyday speech as it will sound extremely unnatural or archaic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
