Meanings of 吝
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About 吝
Podcast: 吝
Podcast: 吝
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AI Study Notes for 吝
吝 (stingy) vs 小气 (petty) — use 吝 for a stronger connotation of miserly behavior, while 小气 can imply a more general unwillingness to share.
Be careful not to confuse 吝 (lìn) with similar-sounding words that have different meanings. It is more commonly used in informal contexts, so it may not be suitable for formal writing. Common collocations include 吝啬 (lìn sè, stingy) and 吝惜 (lìn xī, to be stingy with).
Although 吝 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects well to HSK Level 3 and 4 words related to describing people's characteristics and behaviors. Students should focus on understanding its usage in context, especially in idiomatic expressions.
Learners often confuse 吝 with other characters like 否 (fǒu), which means 'no' or 'to deny.' Ensure you remember that 吝 specifically relates to stinginess. For example, saying '他很否' (tā hěn fǒu) instead of '他很吝' (tā hěn lìn) is incorrect.
Pronunciation of 吝
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Etymology of 吝
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Case file: 吝
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Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Decomposition of 吝
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How to say stingy in Chinese
“stingy” in Chinese is吝
The character 吝 (lìn) refers to a person who is stingy or miserly, often unwilling to share or spend money. It can describe both behavior and personality traits, typically in negative contexts where generosity is expected. It is commonly used in phrases to criticize or describe a lack of generosity in various situations.
When to use 吝
Be careful not to confuse 吝 (lìn) with similar-sounding words that have different meanings. It is more commonly used in informal contexts, so it may not be suitable for formal writing. Common collocations include 吝啬 (lìn sè, stingy) and 吝惜 (lìn xī, to be stingy with).
吝 or something close to it
吝 (stingy) vs 小气 (petty) — use 吝 for a stronger connotation of miserly behavior, while 小气 can imply a more general unwillingness to share.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 吝 with other characters like 否 (fǒu), which means 'no' or 'to deny.' Ensure you remember that 吝 specifically relates to stinginess. For example, saying '他很否' (tā hěn fǒu) instead of '他很吝' (tā hěn lìn) is incorrect.
Write 吝
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Grammar Patterns of 吝
吝 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Complete the Sentence
别这么____啬布料，不然做出来的窗帘会显得特寒酸。
Don't be mean with fabric, otherwise curtains will end up looking skimpy.
Example Sentences for 吝 (5)
Word Family of 吝
Compound Meaning
What does 吝啬 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 吝
You can say '他真吝啬' (tā zhēn lìn sè), which means 'He is really stingy.'
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