Skip to content
Begin learning Chinese at your own paceStart learning
楞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
楞léngused for Ceylon in Buddhist textszg, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞léngsquare beamunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞léngto look distractedunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞léngedgeunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞léngto stare blanklyunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞léngarris (curve formed by two surfaces meeting at an edge)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞léngdistractedunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞léngblankunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞lèngused for Ceylon in Buddhist textszg, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞lèngsquare beamunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞lèngto look distractedunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞lèngedgeunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞lèngto stare blanklyunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞lèngarris (curve formed by two surfaces meeting at an edge)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞lèngdistractedunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
楞lèngblankunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #32645, Very Hard
léng(leng2)leng
primary
T2
  1. 1used for Ceylon in Buddhist texts
  2. 2square beam
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

楞léng(leng2)

The character 楞 (léng) has various meanings, including a reference to Ceylon in Buddhist texts and a variant of the word for 'distracted' or 'blank'. It can also denote a corner or edge in geometry, as well as the concept of staring blankly or being lost in thought. Commonly used in literature and religious contexts, it captures a sense of distraction or a lack of focus.

Strokes13Radical木Frequency#32645DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Buddhist texts, references to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) highlight the historical significance of this island in the spread of Buddhism, making 楞 a culturally rich term that connects to important spiritual narratives.

Memory tip

Imagine a square beam (the 'corner' meaning) that has a distracted person staring blankly at it, unable to focus on anything else. The character's components suggest a geometric shape, while its sound 'léng' can remind you of someone lingering in thought, lost in the corners of their mind.

Meanings of 楞

léng(leng2)
primary
1used for Ceylon in Buddhist texts
2square beam
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 楞 means.

About 楞

楞Simplified
13Strokes
木Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 楞

JasonAmy

Podcast: 楞

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 楞

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 楞 with similar sounding characters or tones, such as 愣 (lèng) which has a different meaning. It's more commonly used in literary contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Collocations may include phrases related to Buddhist texts or discussions about geometry.

HSK Study Tips

As an advanced character not included in the HSK levels, learners should focus on its nuances and connections to other characters related to distraction or geometry. It’s beneficial to explore its usage in Buddhist literature for a deeper understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 楞 with 愣 due to their similar pronunciations, leading to misuse in context. For example, saying '我今天很楞' when they mean '我今天很愣' (I am very distracted today) is incorrect. The correct term for distraction is 愣.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 楞

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 楞 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 楞 to You

Let me explain 楞 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 楞 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 楞?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 楞 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 楞

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

tree

Semantic (meaning)木
+
Phonetic (sound)罒
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

楞 = 木 + 罒. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 楞

IDS Structure⿰木⿱罒方
楞Full character
=
木Mu4
left
罒wang3
top
方Fang1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Parts

Which of these is part of 楞?

How to say used for Ceylon in Buddhist texts in Chinese

“used for Ceylon in Buddhist texts” in Chinese is楞léng

The character 楞 (léng) has various meanings, including a reference to Ceylon in Buddhist texts and a variant of the word for 'distracted' or 'blank'. It can also denote a corner or edge in geometry, as well as the concept of staring blankly or being lost in thought. Commonly used in literature and religious contexts, it captures a sense of distraction or a lack of focus.

When to use 楞

Be careful not to confuse 楞 with similar sounding characters or tones, such as 愣 (lèng) which has a different meaning. It's more commonly used in literary contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Collocations may include phrases related to Buddhist texts or discussions about geometry.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 楞 with 愣 due to their similar pronunciations, leading to misuse in context. For example, saying '我今天很楞' when they mean '我今天很愣' (I am very distracted today) is incorrect. The correct term for distraction is 愣.

Write 楞

楞

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 楞

楞 carries 8 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

他们全都是一些毛毛____楞的小伙子.

These young fellows are all in a flurry.

Example Sentences for 楞 (4)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他们全都是一些毛毛楞楞的小伙子.

tā mén quán dū shì yī xiē máo máo léng léng de xiǎo huǒ zǐ.

These young fellows are all in a flurry.
2
冯云卿 不作声,依然瞪着眼睛在那里发楞.

féng yún qīng bù zuò, shēng , yī rán dèng zháo yǎn jīng zài nà lǐ.

Feng Yun - ching said nothing but just sat staring blankly.
3
前面的墙是用瓦楞钢板做的。

qián miàn de qiáng shì yòng wǎ léng gāng bǎn zuò de。

The front wall is made of corrugated steel.
4
汽车来了,祥子楞头磕脑的坐进去.

qì chē lái le, , xiáng zǐ léng tóu kē nǎo de zuò jìn.

The taxi came and Xiangzi got awkwardly in.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 楞?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

Word Family of 楞

Words containing this character4
楞léngedge
瓦楞rows of tiles
巴音郭楞蒙古自治州Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang
巴音郭楞州abbr. for Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 楞

What does 瓦楞 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 楞

It is pronounced as 'léng', with a rising tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 楞?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab