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JLPT N111画 · 11 strokesradical 手

twirl, twist, play with

On'yomi (音読み)

  • ネン
  • ジョウ

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • ね.じる
  • ねじ.る
  • ひね.くる
  • ひね.る

Mnemonic

Picture a hand (手) twisting a colorful ribbon, playfully twirling it into intricate shapes, bringing joy as it dances in the air.

About this kanji

The kanji 「捻」 primarily means to twist or twirl, often used as a verb in various contexts. For example, the verb 捻る (ひねる) means to twist something around, while 捻挫 (ねんざ) refers to a sprain, which involves a twisting injury. Another compound, 捻出 (ねんしゅつ), means to manage or come up with something, like finding time or resources, also reflecting the idea of twisting possibilities. This kanji can be quite versatile, so remember that it can describe physical actions as well as more abstract concepts of ingenuity or maneuvering in everyday situations.

Example sentences

  • 彼は歌を捻じ曲げた。

    He twisted the song.

Meanings across languages

English
twirl, twist, play with
Tiếng Việt
quay, vặn
日本語
捻る
한국어
비틀다
中文
扭转
id
putar, memutar, bermain
th
หมุน, บิด, ความคิดสร้างสรรค์
es
girar, retorcer, jugar
fr
twist, torsion, jouer
de
dreh, winden, spielen
pt
torcer, girar, engenhosidade

Common compounds

  • 捻るひねるto twist, to wrench, to turn (a tap, switch, etc.)
  • 捻挫ねんざsprain, twist, wrench
  • 捻出ねんしゅつmanaging (to raise funds, find time, etc.), contriving, scraping together (money)
  • 捻転ねんてんtwisting, torsion
  • 捻りひねりtwist, spin, ingenuity
  • 揉捻じゅうねんrolling freshly picked tea-leaves, crushing tea
  • 捻軍ねんぐんNian Rebellion (of China; 1851-1868)
  • 腸捻転ちょうねんてんvolvulus, twisted loop in intestine

Want to actually learn this kanji?

The dictionary is one view. The Kanji 360 app wraps every character with mnemonic images, audio readings, stroke-order animation, story context, and SRS scheduling — free to start on iPhone, iPad, and Android.