轻 qīng — light; easy; gentle; soft; reckless; unimportant
这个箱子很轻，我一个人就能搬。Zhè ge xiāng zi hěn qīng, wǒ yí ge rén jiù néng bān.This box is very light; I can carry it by myself.
Common words: 年轻 (nián qīng)、轻松 (qīng sōng)、轻易 (qīng yì)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "soft"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "soft", including 轻 (qīng), 软 (ruǎn), 柔 (róu), 烂 (làn), 绵 (mián), 嫩 (nèn). Study pinyin, English meanings…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "soft" covers 6 different Chinese characters — 轻 (qīng), 软 (ruǎn), 柔 (róu), 烂 (làn), 绵 (mián), 嫩 (nèn) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 6 characters do not share a sound — their readings span qīng, ruǎn, róu, làn, mián, nèn — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 轻 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 轻 qīnglight; easy; gentle; soft; reckless; unimportantUseful words: 年轻, 轻松
- 软 ruǎnsoft; flexibleUseful words: 软件, 柔软
- 柔 róusoftUseful words: 温柔, 柔软
- 烂 lànovercooked; rotten; softUseful words: 灿烂, 腐烂
- 绵 miáncotton; incessant; soft; downyUseful words: 海绵, 连绵
Common words for these 6 "soft" characters
Anchor each of these 6 characters in a word you can picture — start with 轻 (qīng) — so "soft" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
年轻nián qīngyoung轻松qīng sōnglight; gentle; relaxed; effortless轻易qīng yìeasy; simple; rashly; offhandedly软件ruǎn jiànsoftware柔软róu ruǎnsoft软弱ruǎn ruòweak; feeble; flabby温柔wēn róugentle and soft; tender; sweet (commonly used to describe a girl or woman)柔软róu ruǎnsoft柔和róu hégentle; soft灿烂càn lànto glitter; brilliant; splendid
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 6 ways to say "soft".
软 ruǎn — soft; flexible
这个枕头又软又舒服。Zhè ge zhěn tou yòu ruǎn yòu shū fu.This pillow is soft and comfortable.
Common words: 软件 (ruǎn jiàn)、柔软 (róu ruǎn)、软弱 (ruǎn ruò)
柔 róu — soft
妈妈的声音又轻又柔。Mā ma de shēng yīn yòu qīng yòu róu.Mom voice is soft and gentle.
Common words: 温柔 (wēn róu)、柔软 (róu ruǎn)、柔和 (róu hé)
烂 làn — overcooked; rotten; soft
这个苹果已经烂了，不能吃了。Zhè ge píng guǒ yǐ jīng làn le, bù néng chī le.This apple has gone rotten and cannot be eaten.
Common words: 灿烂 (càn làn)、腐烂 (fǔ làn)、烂人 (làn rén)
绵 mián — cotton; incessant; soft; downy
这条河绵延几千里，养育了两岸的人民。Zhè tiáo hé mián yán jǐ qiān lǐ, yǎng yù le liǎng àn de rén mín.This river stretches for thousands of li, nourishing the people on both banks.
Common words: 海绵 (hǎi mián)、连绵 (lián mián)、绵子 (mián zi)
嫩 nèn — tender; soft
春天，柳树发出了嫩绿的新芽。Chūn tiān, liǔ shù fā chū le nèn lǜ de xīn yá.In spring, the willow puts out tender green sprouts.
Common words: 嫩主 (nèn zhǔ)、白嫩 (bái nèn)、装嫩 (zhuāng nèn)
All 6 characters
Open 轻、软、柔 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.