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霪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
霪yínmonsoon; a long and heavy rainn, 19 strokes, radical 雨
霪yínheavy rainunknown, 19 strokes, radical 雨
yín(yin2)yin T2
  1. 1monsoon; a long and heavy rain
  2. 2heavy rain
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March 24, 2026

霪yín(yin2)

霪 (yín) refers to a prolonged, heavy rain, often associated with monsoon-like conditions. It describes not just the intensity of the rain but also its duration, emphasizing the feeling of being drenched and the impact on the environment. This term is often used in meteorological contexts or literary descriptions of weather.

Strokes19Radical雨
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, heavy rain often symbolizes cleansing and renewal, but prolonged rain can also be associated with hardship, especially in agricultural contexts. Festivals and traditional beliefs are often linked to the patterns of rain and monsoons, reflecting the importance of rain in farming communities.

Memory tip

Imagine a heavy cloud (the radical '雨' for rain) hanging low, pouring out a never-ending stream of rain (the character '霪'). Picture a scene where you are caught in this downpour, and the sound of rain is so overwhelming that it feels like a monsoon. The pronunciation 'yín' sounds like 'yin', as in 'yin and yang', suggesting a balance that is disrupted by the relentless rain.

Meanings of 霪

yín(yin2)
1monsoon; a long and heavy rain
2heavy rain
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 霪

霪Simplified
19Strokes
雨Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 霪

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AI study notes for 霪

Usage Notes

霪 is primarily used in written Chinese, particularly in literary or formal contexts, rather than in everyday conversation. A common mistake is using it interchangeably with other rain-related words like 雨 (yǔ) without recognizing the nuance of duration and heaviness that 霪 implies. Be careful with the pronunciation; the second tone can easily be confused with the first tone.

HSK Study Tips

霪 is not included in the HSK vocabulary list but can be connected with other weather-related terms like 雨 (yǔ) and 雪 (xuě) from lower levels. Students should focus on the context in which weather terms are used to enhance their descriptive skills in Mandarin.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 霪 with 雨 (yǔ), using it in contexts where light or normal rain is described. For example, saying '今天霪' (jīntiān yín) to mean 'It's raining today' is incorrect; use '今天有雨' (jīntiān yǒu yǔ) instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 霪

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Etymology of 霪

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

An obscene 淫 amount of rain 雨; 淫 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 霪?

Decomposition of 霪

IDS Structure⿱雨淫
霪Full character
=
雨yu3
top
淫yin2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 霪?

How to say monsoon; a long and heavy rain in Chinese

“monsoon; a long and heavy rain” in Chinese is霪yín

霪 (yín) refers to a prolonged, heavy rain, often associated with monsoon-like conditions. It describes not just the intensity of the rain but also its duration, emphasizing the feeling of being drenched and the impact on the environment. This term is often used in meteorological contexts or literary descriptions of weather.

When to use 霪

霪 is primarily used in written Chinese, particularly in literary or formal contexts, rather than in everyday conversation. A common mistake is using it interchangeably with other rain-related words like 雨 (yǔ) without recognizing the nuance of duration and heaviness that 霪 implies. Be careful with the pronunciation; the second tone can easily be confused with the first tone.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 霪 with 雨 (yǔ), using it in contexts where light or normal rain is described. For example, saying '今天霪' (jīntiān yín) to mean 'It's raining today' is incorrect; use '今天有雨' (jīntiān yǒu yǔ) instead.

Write 霪

霪

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

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Word Family of 霪

Words containing this character2
霪雨excessive rain
霪yínheavy rain
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 霪

What does 霪雨 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 霪

No, 霪 is more often found in literary texts or formal writing, rather than in spoken language.

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