twist, twine, kinky
撚 centers on twisting fibers or threads together: twining, twisting, or making something kinky. The idea of twisting by hand connects all the given meanings.
撚 combines 扌 (hand) with 然, which likely contributes the sound ネン and the idea of twisting or twining fibers by hand.
The hand radical 扌 beside 然 suggests a hand twisting threads together. Picture fingers rolling fibers into a tight twine.
For ネン, imagine twisting a neon-colored thread: neon -> ネン, and your hand twists the bright twine.