靈 meaning and stroke order
Spirit, soul; spiritual world
How to write 靈, stroke by stroke
24 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 靈
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- quick
- alert
- efficacious
- effective
- to come true
- spirit
How 靈 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 雨 (rain), shared by 42 characters on this site.
How to remember 靈
Picture a shaman 巫 (wū) at the bottom, three mouths 口口口 chanting above, and rain 雨 (yǔ) falling from the sky at the top. The chanting calls down the rain, so the spirit world answers, giving 靈 its sense of spirit and something that works like magic.
靈 (líng) is the traditional form. Mainland China writes it 灵, which is what you see in words like 灵魂 (línghún, soul) and 灵活 (línghuó, flexible). It can also mean something works or is effective, as in 这个办法很灵。(Zhège bànfǎ hěn líng.) This method really works.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 靈 with 零 (líng, zero), which shares the 雨 top and the same pronunciation but has 令 underneath instead of three 口 and 巫. Also, in 机灵 (jīling) the second syllable is usually said in the neutral tone, not a full second tone.
Common words with 靈
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 心靈 | xīnlíng | bright; smart | HSK 6 |
| 靈活 | línghuó | flexible; nimble | HSK 6 |
| 靈魂 | línghún | soul; spirit | HSK 7-9 |
| 靈感 | línggǎn | creative inspiration | HSK 7-9 |
| 失靈 | shīlíng | out of order (of machine); not working properly | HSK 7-9 |
| 機靈 | jīling | alert; quick-witted; lively | HSK 7-9 |
| 靈敏 | língmǐn | smart; clever | HSK 7-9 |
| 靈巧 | língqiǎo | deft; nimble | HSK 7-9 |
| 靈通 | língtōng | fast and abundant (news); clever | HSK 7-9 |
| 水靈靈 | shuǐlínglíng | see 水靈|水灵[shui3 ling2] | HSK 7-9 |
| 靈機一動 | língjī-yīdòng | a bright idea suddenly occurs (idiom); to hit upon an inspiration; to be struck by a brain | HSK 7-9 |
| 心靈手巧 | xīnlíng-shǒuqiǎo | capable; clever | HSK 7-9 |
| 幽靈 | yōulíng | specter; apparition | |
| 精靈 | jīnglíng | spirit; fairy |
Questions about 靈
How many strokes are in 靈?
靈 is written with 24 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 靈 mean?
靈 (líng) means spirit, soul; spiritual world. A common word with it is 心灵 (xīnlíng), meaning "bright; smart".
How do you pronounce 靈?
靈 is pronounced líng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 靈?
The radical of 靈 is 雨, which carries the idea of "rain". Dictionaries list 靈 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 靈?
靈 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 灵, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do you say something is not working or broken using 灵?
Use 失灵 (shīlíng), which is common for machines or devices that stop working properly. For example, 刹车失灵了 (shāchē shīlíng le) means the brakes failed.
Can 灵 describe a clever or quick person?
Yes. Words like 机灵 (jīling) and 灵敏 (língmǐn) describe someone alert and quick-witted, and 灵巧 (língqiǎo) describes skillful, nimble hands. On its own, 灵 more often means effective, as in a method or remedy that works.