to persistently exhort or urge; sting (as of an insect)
zg, 5 strokes, radical 口, rank #5676, Hard
叮
dīng
to sting or bite (of mosquito, bee etc)
unknown, 5 strokes, radical 口, rank #5676, Hard
dīng(ding1) T1
1sting (of mosquito, bee etc)
2to say repeatedly
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March 24, 2026
叮dīng(ding1)
The character 叮 (dīng) primarily refers to the sound of a tinkle or jingle, often associated with small, sharp sounds like a bell or a ping. It can also denote the action of urging or insisting on a point, similar to asking someone repeatedly to pay attention or take action. This dual meaning makes it useful in both auditory descriptions and conversational contexts.
Strokes5Radical口Frequency#5676DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the sound associated with 叮 often evokes images of traditional bells or chimes that signify important moments, such as the beginning of ceremonies or celebrations. This character can be associated with the idea of drawing attention to something significant.
Memory Tip
Imagine a tiny bell that goes 'ding!' every time someone wants to get your attention. The character 叮 looks like a person urging another (the top component) while the bottom represents the sound itself. Visualize a persistent mosquito buzzing around, making that 'ding' sound as it tries to get your attention to sting you!
Meanings of 叮
dīng(ding1)
1sting (of mosquito, bee etc)
2to say repeatedly
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 叮
叮Simplified
5Strokes
口Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#5676Frequency Rank
Podcast: 叮
Podcast: 叮
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AI Study Notes for 叮
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 叮 with similar-sounding characters like 丁 (dīng), which has completely different meanings. It is generally informal and used in conversational contexts, so avoid using it in formal writing. Common collocations include 叮嘱 (dīngzhǔ), meaning to exhort or urge someone repeatedly.
HSK Study Tips
While 叮 is not in the official HSK levels, it can be linked to other HSK vocabulary related to sound and urging. Students should focus on recognizing its sound-related nuances and practice using it in sentences to express insistence or sound descriptions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 叮 with 丁 (dīng) due to similar pronunciation, leading to mistakes in meaning. For example, saying '我叮你' (I ding you) instead of '我叮嘱你' (I urge you) can change the intent of the message.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 叮
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Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 丁 represents the sound.
1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
2The sound half丁 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaymouth
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 叮? 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 叮?
Decomposition of 叮
IDS Structure⿰口丁
叮Full Character
=
口kou3
left
丁Ding1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 叮?
How to say sting (of mosquito, bee etc) in Chinese
“sting (of mosquito, bee etc)” in Chinese is叮dīng
The character 叮 (dīng) primarily refers to the sound of a tinkle or jingle, often associated with small, sharp sounds like a bell or a ping. It can also denote the action of urging or insisting on a point, similar to asking someone repeatedly to pay attention or take action. This dual meaning makes it useful in both auditory descriptions and conversational contexts.
When to use 叮
Be cautious not to confuse 叮 with similar-sounding characters like 丁 (dīng), which has completely different meanings. It is generally informal and used in conversational contexts, so avoid using it in formal writing. Common collocations include 叮嘱 (dīngzhǔ), meaning to exhort or urge someone repeatedly.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 叮 with 丁 (dīng) due to similar pronunciation, leading to mistakes in meaning. For example, saying '我叮你' (I ding you) instead of '我叮嘱你' (I urge you) can change the intent of the message.
Write 叮
叮
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Practice writing 叮 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 叮
叮 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.
