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March 24, 2026
啉lín(lin2)
The character 啉 (lín) is used to describe someone who is considered slow-witted or foolish. It can also refer to a specific compound, porphyrin, in scientific contexts, particularly in chemistry and biology. While not commonly used in everyday conversation, it may appear in literature or specialized texts.
Strokes11Radical口Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
The term 啉 is less about daily life and more about academic or technical discussions, particularly in fields involving biochemistry and medicine, illustrating the connection between language and scientific exploration in Chinese culture.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'lean' person struggling to keep up with a fast-paced conversation, representing someone who is slow in understanding. The character 啉 combines the mouth radical (口) indicating speech with the sound component 'lin', echoing the idea of someone who is slow to respond.
Meanings of 啉
lín(lin2)
1stupid; slow
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 啉
啉Simplified
11Strokes
口Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 啉
Podcast: 啉
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AI Study Notes for 啉
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a 'lean' person struggling to keep up with a fast-paced conversation, representing someone who is slow in understanding. The character 啉 combines the mouth radical (口) indicating speech with the sound component 'lin', echoing the idea of someone who is slow to respond.
Usage Notes
啉 is not commonly used in daily speech and may come off as overly formal or literary. Learners should be aware of its specific contexts, especially in scientific discussions. Common collocations include phrases related to chemistry, so one should focus on the appropriate contexts when using this character.
HSK Study Tips
While 啉 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your knowledge of compound words and specialized vocabulary in science. Students at higher levels should focus on recognizing its usage in scientific texts and phrases.
Cultural Note
The term 啉 is less about daily life and more about academic or technical discussions, particularly in fields involving biochemistry and medicine, illustrating the connection between language and scientific exploration in Chinese culture.
Common Mistakes
Learners may confuse 啉 with 笨 (bèn), which is more commonly used to describe foolishness. Instead of saying '你很啉' (nǐ hěn lín), which sounds unnatural, use '你很笨' (nǐ hěn bèn) for a clearer expression.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 啉
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Cultural Notes for 啉
🏮Cultural insight
The term 啉 is less about daily life and more about academic or technical discussions, particularly in fields involving biochemistry and medicine, illustrating the connection between language and scientific exploration in Chinese culture.
Word Family of 啉
Words Containing This Character3
啉línsee 卟啉, porphyrin
卟啉porphyrin (organic chemical essential to hemoglobin and chlorophyll) (loanword)
喹啉quinoline C6H4(CH)3N (pharm.) (loanword)
Exercise 1 of 3
Compound Meaning
What does 啉 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 啉
No, 啉 is rarely used in everyday speech and is more common in scientific texts.
Synonyms include 笨 (bèn) which means stupid or foolish, but context matters.
It is generally considered formal and not suitable for casual conversations.