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囹 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
囹língprison, enclosuren, 8 strokes, radical 囗, rank #65589, Very Hard
líng(ling2) T2
  1. 1prison, enclosure
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

囹líng(ling2)

The character 囹 (líng) refers to a prison or enclosure, often used in legal or formal contexts. It conveys the idea of confinement and can be associated with the concept of imprisonment or being trapped within walls.

Strokes8Radical囗Frequency#65589DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In historical China, prisons were often associated with the legal system and could be places of severe punishment, reflecting the importance of law and order in society. The concept of imprisonment has deep roots in Chinese literature and folklore.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'ring' (the sound of 'líng') that encircles a person, enclosing them within a prison. The character itself has a structure that resembles walls surrounding a space, reinforcing the idea of confinement.

Meanings of 囹

líng(ling2)
1prison, enclosure
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 囹

囹Simplified
8Strokes
囗Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 囹

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Podcast: 囹

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AI Study Notes for 囹

Usage Notes

因 (yīn) and 囹 (líng) are often confused due to similar pronunciation. It's important to use 囹 in formal contexts regarding imprisonment. Common collocations include 囹圄 (líng yǔ), meaning prison or jail.

HSK Study Tips

While 囹 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be connected to words about places and confinement, which might appear in higher levels. Students should focus on recognizing its usage in compound words and legal contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 囹 with similar-sounding characters like 令 (lìng) due to the pronunciation. For example, saying '我在令中' (wǒ zài lìng zhōng) instead of '我在囹中' (wǒ zài líng zhōng) when referring to being in prison.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 囹

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Etymology of 囹

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

enclosure

Semantic (meaning)囗
+
Phonetic (sound)令
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 囹

  1. 1The meaning half囗 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half令 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayenclosure
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 囹? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 囹?

Decomposition of 囹

IDS Structure⿴囗令
囹Full Character
=
囗wei2
enclosing
令Ling2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 囹?

How to say prison, enclosure in Chinese

“prison, enclosure” in Chinese is囹líng

The character 囹 (líng) refers to a prison or enclosure, often used in legal or formal contexts. It conveys the idea of confinement and can be associated with the concept of imprisonment or being trapped within walls.

When to use 囹

因 (yīn) and 囹 (líng) are often confused due to similar pronunciation. It's important to use 囹 in formal contexts regarding imprisonment. Common collocations include 囹圄 (líng yǔ), meaning prison or jail.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 囹 with similar-sounding characters like 令 (lìng) due to the pronunciation. For example, saying '我在令中' (wǒ zài lìng zhōng) instead of '我在囹中' (wǒ zài líng zhōng) when referring to being in prison.

Write 囹

囹

Practice writing 囹 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 囹

Words Containing This Character3
身陷囹圄thrown into prison
囹língprison
囹圄prison
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 身陷囹圄 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 囹

In a legal context, 囹 refers to a prison or jail where individuals are held in confinement.

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