临 meaning and stroke order
To face; to overlook; to arrive
How to write 临, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Meaning of 临
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to face
- to overlook
- to arrive
- to be (just) about to
- just before
How 临 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 丨 (number one), shared by 11 characters on this site.
How to remember 临
Look at 临 (lín) as two vertical strokes on the left, like a person standing tall, and small shapes on the right below, like the scene they look down on as they draw near. Think of someone leaning over to face what is just ahead.
临 usually appears in two-character words rather than alone. It covers facing something (面临), arriving (来临, 光临), and being just about to do something (临走 before leaving). Example: 欢迎光临。(Huānyíng guānglín.) Welcome, thank you for coming.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 临 (lín) with 监 (jiān, to supervise), whose top half looks similar. 监 has 皿 at the bottom, while 临 has three small boxes. Also keep the second tone in lín and do not say lǐn.
Common words with 临
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 面临 | miànlín | to face sth; to be confronted with | HSK 4 |
| 临时 | línshí | as the time draws near; at the last moment | HSK 4 |
| 光临 | guānglín | (formal) to honor with one's presence; to attend | HSK 4 |
| 来临 | láilín | to approach; to come closer | HSK 7-9 |
| 降临 | jiànglín | to descend; to arrive | HSK 7-9 |
| 临近 | línjìn | to approach; to draw near; to be close to (in space or time) | HSK 7-9 |
| 临床 | línchuáng | (medicine) clinical | HSK 7-9 |
| 居高临下 | jūgāo-línxià | lit. to be in a high location, overlooking the scene below (idiom); fig. to occupy a comma | HSK 7-9 |
| 临街 | línjiē | facing the street | HSK 7-9 |
| 欢迎光临 | huānyíngguānglín | Welcome! (used by staff to greet customers when they enter a shop or restaurant) | |
| 即将来临 | jíjiāngláilín | imminent | |
| 临终 | línzhōng | approaching death; on one's deathbed | |
| 濒临 | bīnlín | on the edge of; (fig.) on the verge of | |
| 莅临 | lìlín | to arrive (esp. of notable person); to visit (more formal than 光臨|光临[guang1 lin2]) |
临 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 临
How many strokes are in 临?
临 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 临 mean?
临 (lín) means to face; to overlook; to arrive. A common word with it is 面临 (miànlín), meaning "to face sth; to be confronted with".
How do you pronounce 临?
临 is pronounced lín, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 临?
The radical of 临 is 丨, which carries the idea of "number one". Dictionaries list 临 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 临?
The traditional form of 临 is 臨. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 临 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 临 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 临 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 临时 mean in everyday speech?
临时 (línshí) means temporary or last-minute. 临时工 is a temporary worker, and 临时决定 is a last-minute decision.
How is 临 used to mean 'just before' an action?
Put 临 before a verb to mean right before doing it, as in 临睡前 (lín shuì qián) right before sleeping or 临走 (lín zǒu) just before leaving.