叮 meaning and stroke order
To persistently exhort or urge; sting (as of an insect)
How to write 叮, stroke by stroke
5 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
Meaning of 叮
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to sting or bite (of mosquito, bee etc)
- to say repeatedly
- to urge insistently
- to ask repeatedly
- to stick to a point
- (onom.) tinkling or jingling sound
How 叮 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Mouth.
口 gives the meaning and 丁 hints at the sound.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 叮
叮 is a mouth 口 next to 丁 (dīng), which gives the sound. Picture a mouth that keeps going "ding, ding" at you, repeating the same reminder, or a mosquito's tiny mouth that stings.
叮 is most common in the word 叮嘱 (dīngzhǔ), used when someone, often a parent, reminds you of something again and again. It also describes mosquito bites and the sound of bells. Example: 妈妈叮嘱我早点回家。(Māma dīngzhǔ wǒ zǎodiǎn huíjiā.) Mom kept reminding me to come home early.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 叮 with 盯 (dīng, to stare at), which has the same sound but uses 目 (eye) instead of 口 (mouth). Remember that 叮 is done with the mouth, by talking or biting, while 盯 is done with the eyes.
Common words with 叮
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 叮嘱 | dīngzhǔ | to warn repeatedly; to urge | HSK 7-9 |
| 叮当 | dīngdāng | (onom.) ding dong; jingling of bells | |
| 叮叮 | dīngdīng | (onom.) tinkling or jingling sound |
叮 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 叮
How many strokes are in 叮?
叮 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 叮 mean?
叮 (dīng) means to persistently exhort or urge; sting (as of an insect). A common word with it is 叮嘱 (dīngzhǔ), meaning "to warn repeatedly; to urge".
How do you pronounce 叮?
叮 is pronounced dīng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 叮?
The radical of 叮 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 叮 under this radical.
Is 叮 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 叮 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do you say "a mosquito bit me" with 叮?
You can say 我被蚊子叮了 (wǒ bèi wénzi dīng le). Chinese speakers usually use 叮 rather than 咬 (yǎo) for mosquito bites, because 咬 suggests biting with teeth.
What is the difference between 叮嘱 and 嘱咐?
Both mean to tell someone to do something carefully. 叮嘱 (dīngzhǔ) stresses saying it repeatedly and earnestly, while 嘱咐 (zhǔfù) is a more general word for giving instructions.