灵 (líng) — (adjective) quick, alert, sharp; smart; (adjective) efficacious; effective; (of a prediction) to come true; (noun) spirit; soul; departed soul
Definition
灵 covers two ideas: 'sharp, quick-witted' (mind, senses) — close to 灵敏 — and 'spirit/soul' (the animating essence in 灵魂).
adjective
quickalertsharpsmartefficaciouseffective(of a prediction) to come true
noun
spiritsouldeparted soul
Examples
- 灵，。Tā de bí zi hěn líng, shén me wèi dào dōu wén dé chū lái.His nose is very sharp—he can smell any scent.
- 灵？？Zhè ge piān fāng dào dǐ líng bù líng? nǐ shì guò ma?Does this folk remedy actually work? Have you tried it?
- 灵。Gǔ dài rén xiāng xìn wàn wù dōu yǒu líng.Ancient people believed that everything has a spirit.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 靈; 灵 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
霝
霝líng靈líng
Same sound today
This note describes the traditional form 靈, not the simplified 灵: 霝 gives the sound, and 玉 (jade) is the meaning part.
Appears in
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