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难点 (nán diǎn) — difficulty; difficult point; sticking point

Definition

难点 is a concrete 'sticking point' or specific hard spot within a larger task. Unlike 难度, which measures how hard something is overall, 难点 names the particular part that trips you up.

noun
difficultydifficult pointsticking point

Examples

  • 难点。
    Zhè cì kǎo shì de zhǔ yào nán diǎn shì yǔ fǎ bù fen.
    The main difficulty of this exam is the grammar section.
  • ，难点。
    Tā men tǎo lùn le bàn tiān, zhōng yú zhǎo dào le wèn tí de nán diǎn.
    They discussed for a long time and finally found the sticking point of the problem.
  • 难点。
    Kè fú zhè xiē nán diǎn xū yào nài xīn hé yì lì.
    Overcoming these difficulties requires patience and perseverance.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

难nándifficult
点diǎnpoint

难 (difficult) and 点 (point) make a 'difficult point' or sticking point.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 難; 难 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
隹隹zhuībird
Sound part声符shēngfú
暵
暵hàn難nán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional 難 pairs 隹, a bird, with 暵 for sound, and meant a type of bird. It was later borrowed for other meanings; the modern 难 is a shorthand.

Open 难 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6

Browse more HSK 6 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.