玲 (líng) — (in compound 玲珑 línglóng) exquisite, delicate, clever; (in onomatopoeia) tinkling sound of gems or bells

Definition

玲 is a bound character that almost never stands alone — it appears mainly in 玲珑 (exquisite, clever, delicate) and in onomatopoeia like 玎玲, evoking the tinkling sound of jade pendants or small bells.

bound form
(in compound 玲珑 línglóng) exquisitedelicateclever(in onomatopoeia) tinkling sound of gems or bells
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè kuài yù shí diāo kè dé shí fēn líng lóng.
    This piece of jade is exquisitely carved.
  • ，。
    Tā dài de ěr huán xiǎo qiǎo líng lóng, fēi cháng hǎo kàn.
    The earrings she wears are small and exquisite, very pretty.
  • 玎玲。
    Chuāng wài chuán lái fēng líng de dīng líng shēng.
    From outside the window came the tinkling sound of wind chimes.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng玲
Same sound today

玲 pairs 玉 (jade) with 令, which gives its sound.

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.