宁安 (Níng ān) — peaceful, tranquil (often used in literary or formal contexts)

Definition

Literary/formal word for 'peaceful, tranquil' — used in writing, idioms, and elevated speech rather than everyday conversation. Emphasizes a settled, undisturbed calm, stronger than the plain 安宁 used in daily life.

adjective
peacefultranquil (often used in literary or formal contexts)

Examples

  • 宁安，。
    Cǐ jìng Níng ān, lìng rén xīn jìng.
    This scene is peaceful, making one's mind calm.
  • ，宁安。
    Zhàn luàn zhī hòu, bǎi xìng zhōng yú guò shàng Níng ān de shēng huó.
    After the war, the people finally lived a peaceful life.
  • 宁安。
    Tā xiàng wǎng de shì yì zhǒng Níng ān dàn bó de rì zi.
    What he longs for is a tranquil and simple life.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

宁níngpeaceful
安ānpeaceful

宁 and 安 both mean peaceful, so together they stress a tranquil state.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 寧; 宁 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 皿皿mǐnfood or wine vessel
  • 丂丂kǎotable (?)
Open 宁 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ安ān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 安, 宀 sits above a seated 女 on a cushion; 宀 is the meaning part, 女 is the sound part, and the character originally meant sitting at ease.

Open 安 →

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