科技生词 :keji shengci - Technology New Words

Thursday, October 09, 2008

宁 : níng - tranquil

Ning is of course "an online service to create your own social network". With, of course, a recent $60M round giving it a half-billion dollar valuation based on an advertising business model.

宁 (níng) means "tranquil", as well as being an abbreviation for 宁夏 (Níngxià, "tranquil summer" or "tranquil Xia Dynasty") Province, and for the city of 南京 (Nánjīng, "southern capital").

"Ning" could also be 柠 (níng, "lemon") or 拧 (níng, "wring dry" or nǐng, "twist or screw"). I suppose that's not the meaning they had in mind.

宁 also appears in 宁波波导 Ningbo Bird (níngbōbōdǎo) "tranquil waves, leading the wave",) the cellphone company, which takes it's name from the city of Níngbō.