Nitrogen Character

氮 means nitrogen in Chinese.

Before 氮, Chinese chemistry used 淡气 (“diluting gas”) for nitrogen; Benjamin Hobson used that term in 1849. The later one-character name made chemical-element terms compact. Its 气 component marks it within the naming pattern used for gaseous elements.

That system gave imported Western chemistry standard Chinese names. Xu Shou and John Fryer proposed a systematic method in 1871; it was formally adopted in 1919 and ratified in 1933. The same compact pattern appears in Chinese names for hydrogen (氢), oxygen (氧), and chlorine (氯). Japanese uses 窒素 for nitrogen.

What does 氮 mean in a message?

It points to nitrogen or a chemistry term.

If someone sends only 氮, you can identify nitrogen as the topic, but the character alone cannot tell you which substance or question they mean. Ask what nitrogen-related subject they have in mind.

How do you type 氮?

Use a Chinese Pinyin input method.

Pinyin suggestions may include other characters with the same reading, so select 氮 from the candidate list. If you do not know its reading, handwriting input or a search by its 气 component can help.