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潋 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
潋liànripples, waves; to overflowz, 14 strokes, radical 氵
潋liànfull of waterunknown, 14 strokes, radical 氵
潋liàntroughunknown, 14 strokes, radical 氵
liàn(lian4) T4
  1. 1ripples, waves; to overflow
  2. 2full of water
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

潋(瀲)liàn(lian4)

The character 潋 (liàn) primarily refers to ripples or waves on the surface of water. It conveys a sense of fluidity and movement, often used in poetic or literary contexts to describe serene water scenes or overflowing emotions. The nuance of this word can evoke both beauty and transient moments related to water.

Strokes14Radical氵
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, water is often associated with poetry and tranquility. The beauty of rippling water is celebrated in traditional art and literature, symbolizing the flow of life and emotions, making 潋 a character that resonates deeply with these cultural themes.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tranquil lake where gentle ripples (潋) are caused by a soft breeze. The left part '氵' (water radical) suggests its connection to water, while the right part '亘' can remind you of the endless nature of waves. Visualize how the ripples spread across the surface, creating a serene image in your mind, and connect 'liàn' with the sound of gentle flowing water.

Meanings of 潋

liàn(lian4)
1ripples, waves; to overflow
2full of water
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 潋

潋Simplified
瀲Traditional
14Strokes
氵Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 潋

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Podcast: 潋

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AI Study Notes for 潋

Quick Contrast

涟 (lián) - choose 潋 (liàn) when emphasizing the shimmering, beautiful effect of light on water, whereas 涟 (lián) focuses more on the gentle ripples themselves.

Usage Notes

When using 潋, be careful not to confuse it with related characters that also involve water but convey different meanings, such as 漣 (lián), which specifically refers to waves. It is more commonly used in literary contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversation unless you're discussing poetry or art.

HSK Study Tips

While 潋 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be connected to HSK Level 3 words like 水 (water) and 浪 (wave). Focus on recognizing its usage in literary texts to enhance your comprehension of descriptive language related to water.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 潋 with 漣 because they both involve water but convey different meanings. For example, saying '我看到潋的浪' (I saw the ripples of waves) is incorrect; it should be '我看到漣的浪'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 潋

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Etymology of 潋

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

water

Semantic (meaning)氵
+
Phonetic (sound)敛
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 潋

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half敛 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywater
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 潋? 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 潋?

Decomposition of 潋

IDS Structure⿰氵敛
潋Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
敛lian3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 潋?

How to say ripples, waves; to overflow in Chinese

“ripples, waves; to overflow” in Chinese is潋liàn

The character 潋 (liàn) primarily refers to ripples or waves on the surface of water. It conveys a sense of fluidity and movement, often used in poetic or literary contexts to describe serene water scenes or overflowing emotions. The nuance of this word can evoke both beauty and transient moments related to water.

When to use 潋

When using 潋, be careful not to confuse it with related characters that also involve water but convey different meanings, such as 漣 (lián), which specifically refers to waves. It is more commonly used in literary contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversation unless you're discussing poetry or art.

潋 or something close to it

涟 (lián) - choose 潋 (liàn) when emphasizing the shimmering, beautiful effect of light on water, whereas 涟 (lián) focuses more on the gentle ripples themselves.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 潋 with 漣 because they both involve water but convey different meanings. For example, saying '我看到潋的浪' (I saw the ripples of waves) is incorrect; it should be '我看到漣的浪'.

Write 潋

潋

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 潋

Words Containing This Character1
潋liàntrough瀲
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 潋 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 潋

The pronunciation 'liàn' has a falling tone, similar to how you might say 'lean' but with a sharper end.

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Not sure what to learn after 潋?

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