Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
琳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
lína beautiful gemstonenrt, 12 strokes, radical 王, rank #6505, Hard
língemunknown, 12 strokes, radical 王, rank #6505, Hard
lín(lin2) T2
  1. 1a beautiful gemstone
  2. 2gem
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
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.

Strokes12RadicalFrequency#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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 琳

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

Podcast: 琳

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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.

Memory Mnemonic

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.

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.

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.

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 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 琳?

Decomposition of 琳

IDS Structure⿰王林
Full Character
=
Wang2
left
Lin2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 琳?

Write 琳

Practice writing 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

Complete the Sentence

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”。

zhèng rú1892 1892 nián jù běn de fù biāo tí suǒ qiáng tiáo,《 de ,《 kǎi》 sè lín 》“ shì yī bù “ ài”。

"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 shè fǎ dá dào le qí zhí yè de yào qiú。

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 dé kuài yào zhà le。“ 。“ wǒ jué dé nǐ zhēn shì kě!”

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 què bǎo zhè tiáo xiāo xī zhí jiē chuán dá 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 shēn shì, , jìn guǎn nián shì yǐ, gāo , réng rán bāng zháo kǎi sè lín huí dào zuò。

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 nà ér děng!” zháo !” kǎi sè lín zhàn qǐ,“ shēn, lái ,“ bù , wǒ。 gǎi zhǔ yì。”

"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 luó lín5 5 suì shí zài qiáng shàng luàn tú luàn。

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。

jìn guǎn yǒu guò gè zhǒng gè yàng de nán péng yǒu, , mǎ dé lín guò qù hé xiàn zài yī zhí dū fēi cháng zì。

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 xiāng chǔ hěn hǎo。

Madeleine is on good terms with Sarah.

Cultural Notes for 琳

🏮Cultural insight

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.

Word Family of 琳

Words Containing This Character7
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

Compound Meaning

What does 琳 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 琳

It is pronounced as lín, with a rising tone.