Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
淩 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
淩língto cross, to traverse, to pass throughx, 11 strokes, radical 氵
líng(ling2)ling T2
  1. 1to cross, to traverse, to pass through
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

淩líng(ling2)

The character 淩 (líng) means to cross or traverse, often implying the action of passing through something, usually water. It is less commonly used than its variant 凌 (líng) but carries a similar meaning in contexts related to movement or transition across obstacles.

Strokes11Radical氵
Cultural note

In Chinese poetry, water often symbolizes life and passage. The use of characters like 淩 highlights the cultural significance of water as a barrier and a pathway, reflecting the importance of nature in Chinese literature.

Memory tip

Imagine a river (水) that you need to cross. The character 淩 looks like a person (亻) crossing over water (水), emphasizing the action of traversing. You can remember the pronunciation 'líng' by thinking of the sound of a bell ringing as you cross the river.

Meanings of 淩

líng(ling2)
1to cross, to traverse, to pass through
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 淩 means.

About 淩

淩Simplified
11Strokes
氵Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 淩

JasonAmy

Podcast: 淩

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 淩

Quick Contrast

凌 (líng) is often used in contexts implying elevation or being above something, while 淩 (líng) specifically emphasizes crossing or traversing, particularly through water.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tones when using 淩; the incorrect tone can lead to confusion with other characters. This character is more formal and rarely used in everyday conversation, often appearing in literary or poetic contexts.

HSK Study Tips

While 淩 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can enhance comprehension of related words in advanced studies. Focus on its relationship with 凌 and practice using both in different contexts to deepen understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 淩 with similar-sounding characters due to tonal errors, such as saying 'lǐng' instead of 'líng'. Additionally, some may use it interchangeably with 凌 without recognizing the nuances in context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 淩

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 淩 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 淩 to You

Let me explain 淩 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 淩 through them.

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

How Well Do You Know 淩?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 淩 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 淩

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

water

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

Origin

淩 = 氵 + 夌. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 淩

IDS Structure⿰氵夌
淩Full character
=
氵shui3
left
夌ling2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 淩?

How to say to cross, to traverse, to pass through in Chinese

“to cross, to traverse, to pass through” in Chinese is淩líng

The character 淩 (líng) means to cross or traverse, often implying the action of passing through something, usually water. It is less commonly used than its variant 凌 (líng) but carries a similar meaning in contexts related to movement or transition across obstacles.

When to use 淩

Be cautious with the tones when using 淩; the incorrect tone can lead to confusion with other characters. This character is more formal and rarely used in everyday conversation, often appearing in literary or poetic contexts.

淩 or something close to it

凌 (líng) is often used in contexts implying elevation or being above something, while 淩 (líng) specifically emphasizes crossing or traversing, particularly through water.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 淩 with similar-sounding characters due to tonal errors, such as saying 'lǐng' instead of 'líng'. Additionally, some may use it interchangeably with 凌 without recognizing the nuances in context.

Write 淩

淩

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 淩?

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 淩

Words containing this character1
淩língto approach

Frequently Asked Questions about 淩

淩 is a variant of 凌, both meaning to cross or traverse, but 淩 is used in more specific contexts and is less common.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 淩?

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