Nong character

In Shanghainese, it means “you”; older Wu can use it for “I.”

Wu is a group of Chinese varieties that includes Shanghainese. In Wu writing, 侬 can point to the speaker or the listener; older glosses also give it the broader sense “person.” Read the dialect and the surrounding sentence together.

Why can 侬 mean “I” or “you”?

Older Wu usage lets it refer to different people.

In Southern-dynasty sources, Wu song material uses 侬, and the Yupian, an early Chinese character dictionary, lists it as a Wu form for “I.” Older glosses also give “person.” One account treats that noun sense as the source of pronoun and suffix uses; another treats “person” and “I” as parallel old meanings. In older Wu, 侬 can also follow a pronoun as a person-marker; translate the whole phrase. The traditional form is 儂. Historical analyses connect 侬 with 农/農, but the exact etymological link is disputed.

What does 侬 mean when someone sends it?

The dialect and sentence decide who it points to.

A Shanghainese message usually uses 侬 to address you. A quotation from classical or literary Wu can use it for the speaker’s “I.” A one-character message leaves that distinction open; ask which dialect or passage is meant instead of guessing.

Using 侬 in a Shanghai greeting, thanks, or request signals that the writer is choosing to represent local speech.