Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
琳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
琳lína beautiful gemstonenrt, 12 strokes, radical 王, rank #6505, Hard
琳língemunknown, 12 strokes, radical 王, rank #6505, Hard
lín(lin2)lin T2
  1. 1a beautiful gemstone
  2. 2gem
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

琳lín(lin2)

琳 (lín) refers to a beautiful gemstone, often associated with jade or precious stones in Chinese culture. It conveys not only physical beauty but also qualities such as elegance and rarity, making it a popular term in literary and artistic contexts.

Strokes12Radical王Frequency#6505DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, gemstones like 琳 symbolize wealth and beauty. The appreciation for beautiful stones is deeply ingrained, often reflected in art, poetry, and traditional jewelry, which makes this term significant in understanding cultural values.

Memory tip

Imagine a sparkling gem shining brightly in the sun. The character 琳 is made up of the components 玉 (yù), meaning jade, and 林 (lín), meaning forest. Picture a forest of shining gems, and remember that '琳' represents the beauty of gemstones.

Meanings of 琳

lín(lin2)
1a beautiful gemstone
2gem
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 琳 means.

About 琳

琳Simplified
12Strokes
王Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 琳

JasonAmy

Podcast: 琳

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 琳

Quick Contrast

瑾 (jǐn) refers to a beautiful gem, often specifically jade, and is used to emphasize the value and quality of the stone, while 琳 (lín) emphasizes beauty and elegance.

Usage Notes

While 琳 is often used in poetic or formal contexts, learners should be aware that it may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. Be cautious of confusing it with other similar-sounding words; context is key when using this term.

HSK Study Tips

Although 琳 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it is beneficial for learners to connect it with related words like 玉 (yù) for jade and 珠 (zhū) for pearl, which may appear in HSK levels. Focus on recognizing the character's components and its usage in literary texts.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 琳 with other similar characters like 球 (qiú, ball) or 灵 (líng, spirit). Ensure you distinguish them by focusing on their meanings and pronunciations.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 琳

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 琳 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 琳 to You

Let me explain 琳 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 琳 through them.

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

How Well Do You Know 琳?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 琳 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 琳

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

Phonosemantic compound. 王 represents the meaning and 林 represents the sound.

Memory hint

jade

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

Origin

琳 = 王 + 林. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 琳

IDS Structure⿰王林
琳Full character
=
王Wang2
left
林Lin2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 琳?

How to say a beautiful gemstone in Chinese

“a beautiful gemstone” in Chinese is琳lín

琳 (lín) refers to a beautiful gemstone, often associated with jade or precious stones in Chinese culture. It conveys not only physical beauty but also qualities such as elegance and rarity, making it a popular term in literary and artistic contexts.

When to use 琳

While 琳 is often used in poetic or formal contexts, learners should be aware that it may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. Be cautious of confusing it with other similar-sounding words; context is key when using this term.

琳 or something close to it

瑾 (jǐn) refers to a beautiful gem, often specifically jade, and is used to emphasize the value and quality of the stone, while 琳 (lín) emphasizes beauty and elegance.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 琳 with other similar characters like 球 (qiú, ball) or 灵 (líng, spirit). Ensure you distinguish them by focusing on their meanings and pronunciations.

Write 琳

琳

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 琳

琳 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

正如1892年剧本的副标题所强调的,《凯瑟____》是一部“爱尔兰戏剧”。

"Kathleen" was, as its 1892 subtitle asserted, "An Irish Drama".

Example Sentences for 琳 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
正如1892年剧本的副标题所强调的,《凯瑟琳》是一部“爱尔兰戏剧”。

zhèngrú1892 nián jùběn de fù biāotí suǒ qiángdiào de,《 kǎi sè lín》 shì yī bù“ ài ěr lán xìjù”。

"Kathleen" was, as its 1892 subtitle asserted, "An Irish Drama".
2
卡琳设法达到了其职业的要求。

kǎ lín shèfǎ dádào le qí zhíyè de yāoqiú。

Somehow Karin managed to cope with the demands of her career.
3
凯瑟琳气得快要炸了。“我觉得你真是可鄙!”

kǎi sè lín qì de kuàiyào zhá le。“ wǒ juéde nǐ zhēnshi kě bǐ!”

Catherine was ready to explode. "I think you're contemptible!"
4
凯瑟琳确保这条消息直接传达给了沃尔特。

kǎi sè lín quèbǎo zhè tiáo xiāoxi zhíjiē chuándá gěi le wò ěr tè。

Catherine saw to it that the information went directly to Walter.
5
这位绅士,尽管年事已高,仍然帮着凯瑟琳回到座位上。

zhè wèi shēnshì, jǐnguǎn nián shì yǐ gāo, réngrán bāng zhe kǎi sè lín huídào zuòwèi shàng。

The gentleman, despite his advanced years, helped Kathryn back to her seat.
6
“在那儿等着!”凯瑟琳站起身来,“不,我改主意了。跟我来。”

“ zài nàr děng zhe!” kǎi sè lín zhàn qǐ shēn lái,“ bù, wǒ gǎi zhǔyi le。 gēn wǒ lái。”

"Wait there!" Kathryn rose. "No, on second thought, follow me."
7
卡罗琳5岁时在墙上乱涂乱画。

kǎ luō lín5 suì shí zài qiáng shàng luàn tú luàn huà。

When Caroline was five she scribbled on a wall.
8
尽管有过各种各样的男朋友,马德琳过去和现在一直都非常自立。

jǐnguǎn yǒu guò gèzhǒng gè yàng de nánpéngyou, mǎ dé lín guòqù hé xiànzài yìzhí dōu fēicháng zìlì。

Although she had various boyfriends, Madeleine was, and remains, fiercely self-sufficient.
9
凯瑟琳在托马斯身后冲他做了个鬼脸。

kǎi sè lín zài tuō mǎ Sī shēn hòu chōng tā zuò le gè guǐ liǎn。

Kathryn pulled a face at Thomas behind his back.
10
马德琳和萨拉相处很好。

mǎ dé lín hé sà lā xiāngchǔ hěn hǎo。

Madeleine is on good terms with Sarah.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 琳?

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 琳

Words containing this character7
琳língem
凯瑟琳Katherine凱瑟琳
琳琅满目fig. a dazzling lineup琳瑯滿目
罗琳Rowling (name)羅琳
关之琳Rosamund Kwan (1962-), Hong Kong actress關之琳
杰奎琳Jacqueline (name)傑奎琳
叶卡捷琳堡Yekaterinburg (Russian city, also known as Ekaterinburg or Sverdlovsk)葉卡捷琳堡
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 琳

What does 凯瑟琳 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 琳

It is pronounced as lín, with a rising tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 琳?

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