林 meaning and stroke order
Forest, grove; surname
How to write 林, stroke by stroke
8 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
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- 8
Meaning of 林
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) woods; forest
- (bound form) circle(s) (i.e. specific group of people)
- (bound form) a collection (of similar things)
How 林 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Two trees 木 representing a forest.
Radical: 木 (tree), shared by 388 characters on this site.
How to remember 林
林 (lín) is simply two trees 木 (mù) standing side by side. One tree is a tree, two trees make a grove or woods.
林 is a bound form, so it usually appears inside words like 森林 (sēnlín, forest) and 树林 (shùlín, woods) rather than alone. It can also mean a circle of people or a collection, and it is a very common surname. Example: 我们在树林里散步。(Wǒmen zài shùlín lǐ sànbù.) We take a walk in the woods.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 林 (lín, two trees) with 森 (sēn, three trees) and 木 (mù, one tree). Also, in 林 the left 木 is narrower and its last stroke becomes a short dot-like rise instead of a full sweep, so do not write two full-size 木 side by side.
Common words with 林
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 森林 | sēnlín | forest | HSK 4 |
| 树林 | shùlín | woods; grove | HSK 4 |
| 园林 | yuánlín | gardens; park; landscape garden | HSK 5 |
| 丛林 | cónglín | jungle; thicket | HSK 7-9 |
| 穆斯林 | mùsīlín | Muslim | HSK 7-9 |
| 少林寺 | Shàolín Sì | Shaolin Temple, Buddhist monastery famous for its kung fu monks | HSK 7-9 |
| 阿司匹林 | āsīpǐlín | (loanword) aspirin | |
| 雨林 | yǔlín | rainforest | |
| 福林 | fúlín | forint (Hungarian currency) (loanword) | |
| 林子 | línzi | woods; grove | |
| 武林 | wǔlín | martial arts (social) circles | |
| 山林 | shānlín | wooded mountain; mountain forest | |
| 热带雨林 | rèdàiyǔlín | tropical rain forest | |
| 护林员 | hùlínyuán | forest ranger |
林 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 林
Learning 林 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 林
How many strokes are in 林?
林 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 林 mean?
林 (lín) means forest, grove; surname. A common word with it is 森林 (sēnlín), meaning "forest".
How do you pronounce 林?
林 is pronounced lín, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 林?
The radical of 林 is 木, which carries the idea of "tree". Dictionaries list 林 under this radical.
Is 林 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 林 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 森林 and 树林?
森林 (sēnlín) is a large, dense forest, the kind you might find in national parks. 树林 (shùlín) is a smaller patch of woods or a grove, like the trees near a village or in a park.
Why does 林 appear in words like 穆斯林 and 阿司匹林?
In these words 林 is used only for its sound lín to transcribe foreign words. 穆斯林 (mùsīlín) means Muslim and 阿司匹林 (āsīpǐlín) means aspirin, and the tree meaning plays no role.