HanziGuru.浓 · nóng
浓
nóng[nong2]Tone 2

concentrated, dense

HSK 4
View Traditional FormSwitch to Traditional
濃
Guru Deep Dive

English · concentrated, dense

Cached lesson
1 / 1
Topology:Left-right
Strokes:9
Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (water) takes up about one-third of the width, while the right component takes the remaining two-thirds, keeping both sides harmoniously balanced in height.
Simplification Logic: The traditional form 濃 uses 㝨 on the right, which was simplified in the modern character to 农 (nóng), merging sound and structure.
1. Meaning

concentrated or dense (referring to liquids, flavors, colors, or atmospheres)

strong (such as a smell, taste, or interest)deep or thick (such as night or fog)
AdjectiveNeutral#properties#senses#intensity
Sample Usage
  • 这杯咖啡很浓。
    Zhè bēi kāfēi hěn nóng.
    This cup of coffee is very strong.
  • 浓雾笼罩着整个城市。
    Nóngwù lǒngzhàozhe zhěnggè chéngshì.
    Dense fog blankets the entire city.
2. Sound
/[nɔŋ³⁵]/Tone: 35
浓
nóngnong2
++
´(35)
=nóng
Initial Consonant
n
Type: Alveolar Nasal
Sounds like: n sound like in 'no'
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Air passes completely through nose.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Tongue tip pressed against the alveolar ridge behind the upper front teeth, with air passing through the nose.
Final Rhyme
ong
Vowel Group: -o vowel group
Sounds like: -ong rhymes with rung
Mouth Shape Guide: Combine initial 'h-' (h) with final '-ong' (oong).
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T2 (35)
2nd Tone (Mid-Rising)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 2 rises like a question in English: 'What?' or 'Really?'
Sandhi: When followed by another 3rd tone syllable, changes to a 2nd tone.
👂
Listening trap: Confusing the nasal ending '-ong' with the back nasal ending '-eng' or confusing Tone 2 (rising) with Tone 4 (falling).
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: A rising hand gesture starting from chest level and sweeping upward to the sky, mirroring the upward pitch of Tone 2.
3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 9 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (water) takes up about one-third of the width, while the right component takes the remaining two-thirds, keeping both sides harmoniously balanced in height.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 濃 uses 㝨 on the right, which was simplified in the modern character to 农 (nóng), merging sound and structure.

4. Components

Radical 氵 · Water Radical (water or liquids)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 氵 (indicates liquids, moisture, or solutions)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 农 (original sound: nóng)

Water (氵) combined with agriculture/farming (农) gives us something rich, thick, and concentrated like fertile soil or brewed extracts.

  • 氵 water/liquid indicator
  • 农 phonetic clue providing the 'nóng' sound
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Combined from the water radical (氵) representing liquids and 农 (nóng) providing the phonetic reading and a sense of deep cultivation or richness.

Semantic Evolution: Originally referred to muddy or thick water, later broadening to describe any thick, concentrated, rich, or dense quality in liquids, smells, colors, and atmospheres.

  • The character pairs with 淡 (dàn, light/diluted) to form common antonym pairs like 浓淡 (concentration/shade).
6. Sinosphere
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: ノウ (nō) / Kun: こ.い (ko.i)
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

Imagine adding drops of water (氵) to a farmer's (农) rich, concentrated fertilizer brew, making the solution extremely thick and strong.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
农
nóngagriculture, farmerBase phonetic component without the water radical.
脓
nóngpusReplaces water with flesh radical (月), referring to bodily fluid.
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
淡(dàn)
淡 means light or diluted (water + fire/flame elements), whereas 浓 means concentrated or thick.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
这杯茶太[___]了，请加点水。
Clue: nóng
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the adjective 浓 (concentrated) with its antonym 淡 (light/diluted), or misapplying the tone as a flat 1st tone instead of a rising 2nd tone.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: When you see 浓, what does it mean regarding coffee, fog, or colors?
Production: How do you write the adjective for 'concentrated' or 'dense' starting with water radical?
Real-World Video Context

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

Search theme
Accent preference

Results are live YouTube search — accents and levels aren't verified.

浓nóngconcentrated, dense
Speed:
Searching YouTube for native pronunciation videos...
0 / 0
Watch on YouTubeMore Results on YouTube