凛 meaning and stroke order
To shiver with cold or fear
How to write 凛, stroke by stroke
15 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 凛
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- cold
- to shiver with cold
- to tremble with fear
- afraid
- apprehensive
- strict
How 凛 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Ice.
冫 gives the meaning and 禀 hints at the sound.
Radical: 冫 (ice), shared by 26 characters on this site.
How to remember 凛
The ice radical 冫 on the left brings the cold, and 禀 (bǐng) on the right gives the sound. Picture ice standing beside someone so cold or scared that they shiver.
凛 (lǐn) rarely stands alone and mostly appears in set words like 凛冽 (lǐnliè, bitingly cold) and 凛然 (lǐnrán, stern and awe-inspiring). It often describes harsh winter wind or a serious, dignified manner. Example: 寒风凛冽。(Hánfēng lǐnliè.) The cold wind is biting.
Common mistake: Learners often write the left side as three dots 氵 (water) instead of two dots 冫 (ice), which turns it into a wrong character. Also note the sound comes from 禀 but the tone shifts from bǐng to lǐn.
Questions about 凛
How many strokes are in 凛?
凛 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 凛 mean?
凛 (lǐn) means to shiver with cold or fear.
How do you pronounce 凛?
凛 is pronounced lǐn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 凛?
The radical of 凛 is 冫, which carries the idea of "ice". Dictionaries list 凛 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 凛?
The traditional form of 凛 is 凜. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 凛 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What does 威风凛凛 mean?
威风凛凛 (wēifēng lǐnlǐn) describes someone who looks majestic and commanding, so impressive that others feel awe. It is often used for generals, heroes, or a proud animal like a lion.
Is 凛 used in everyday speech?
Not much. In casual talk people say 很冷 (hěn lěng) for cold or 害怕 (hàipà) for afraid. 凛 belongs to written and literary Chinese, such as weather descriptions and stories.