念

• Pinyin: niàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 念 = 今 (now/present) + 心 (heart), meaning what is on the heart now — to recite or to miss

Meaning

To read aloud; to study; to miss someone. A versatile verb with multiple related meanings.

Has three main uses: (1) to read aloud (念课文 = read a text aloud), (2) to study or attend school (念大学 = attend university), and (3) to miss or think of someone (想念 = to miss). The 'read aloud' meaning is the most basic. The 'study' meaning is common in spoken Chinese, especially in southern dialects.

Examples

1. 老师让我们大声念课文。 The teacher asked us to read the text aloud.
2. 他在北京念大学，学的是经济。 He is attending university in Beijing, studying economics.
3. 离开家以后，我常常念着家里的亲人。 After leaving home, I often think of my family.

Usage Guide

Context: education, reading, emotions

Tone: warm

Do Say

• 请你念一下这个句子。(Please read this sentence aloud.)
• 她在国外念书，已经三年没回家了。(She is studying abroad and hasn't come home for three years.)

Don't Say

• 我念了这本书。(If you mean you read a book silently, use 看 or 读 — 念 specifically means reading aloud or studying at a school.)

Origin & History

念 = 今 (now) + 心 (heart). What is on the heart right now — to think about, recite, or keep in mind.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal