Meanings of 翎
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About 翎
Podcast: 翎
Podcast: 翎
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AI Study Notes for 翎
羽 (yǔ) refers to feathers in general, while 翎 (líng) specifically denotes long, ornamental feathers or plumes.
Be cautious not to confuse 翎 with other similar characters related to feathers, like 羽 (yǔ). This term is more formal and may be used in literary contexts rather than everyday conversations. Common collocations include phrases like '翎毛' (língmáo) meaning 'feather' and '翎羽' (língyǔ) for 'plumage'.
Although 翎 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects to HSK Level 3 words about animals and nature. Students should focus on recognizing the radicals and understanding its usage in descriptive contexts.
Learners often confuse 翎 with 羽, mistakenly using it in contexts where general feathers are discussed. For example, saying '我喜欢这个羽' (wǒ xǐhuān zhège yǔ) instead of '我喜欢这个翎' (wǒ xǐhuān zhège líng) when referring to a specific bird's plume.
Pronunciation of 翎
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Etymology of 翎
Phonosemantic compound. 羽 represents the meaning and 令 represents the sound.
plume
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 翎
Phonosemantic compound. 羽 represents the meaning and 令 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half羽 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half令 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayplume
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 翎? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 翎
Identify the Components
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How to say plume, tail feathers in Chinese
“plume, tail feathers” in Chinese is翎
The character 翎 (líng) refers to the long, ornamental feathers or plumes of birds, particularly the tail feathers that are often colorful and vibrant. It is commonly used in contexts related to birds, fashion, and decoration, symbolizing beauty and elegance.
When to use 翎
Be cautious not to confuse 翎 with other similar characters related to feathers, like 羽 (yǔ). This term is more formal and may be used in literary contexts rather than everyday conversations. Common collocations include phrases like '翎毛' (língmáo) meaning 'feather' and '翎羽' (língyǔ) for 'plumage'.
翎 or something close to it
羽 (yǔ) refers to feathers in general, while 翎 (líng) specifically denotes long, ornamental feathers or plumes.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 翎 with 羽, mistakenly using it in contexts where general feathers are discussed. For example, saying '我喜欢这个羽' (wǒ xǐhuān zhège yǔ) instead of '我喜欢这个翎' (wǒ xǐhuān zhège líng) when referring to a specific bird's plume.
Write 翎
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Word Family of 翎
Compound Meaning
What does 翎 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 翎
You can say '这只鸟的翎很美' (zhè zhī niǎo de líng hěn měi), meaning 'The plumage of this bird is beautiful.'
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