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莹 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
莹yíngbright, lustrous, sparkling like a gemnr, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #61426, Very Hard
莹yíngluster of gemsunknown, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #61426, Very Hard
yíng(ying2)ying T2
  1. 1bright, lustrous, sparkling like a gem
  2. 2luster of gems
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March 24, 2026

莹(瑩)yíng(ying2)

The character 莹 (yíng) describes something that is bright, lustrous, or sparkling, particularly like a gem. It is often used to convey a sense of beauty and brilliance, making it common in poetic or literary contexts, as well as in descriptions of precious stones.

Strokes10Radical艹Frequency#61426DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

The concept of brightness and luster is significant in Chinese culture, often associated with positive qualities such as purity and excellence. In traditional poetry, describing something as 莹 can evoke images of nature's elegance and beauty, reflecting the value placed on aesthetics.

Memory tip

Imagine a shiny gem that is so bright it lights up its surroundings. The character 莹 has the radical for 'plant' (艹) at the top, suggesting something natural, while the bottom part resembles a gem sparkling in the light. Together, they create an image of nature's beauty shining brightly.

Meanings of 莹

yíng(ying2)
1bright, lustrous, sparkling like a gem
2luster of gems
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 莹

莹Simplified
瑩Traditional
10Strokes
艹Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 莹

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Podcast: 莹

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AI study notes for 莹

Quick Contrast

晶 (jīng) — use 莹 (yíng) for a focus on beauty and sparkle, while 晶 (jīng) emphasizes clarity and transparency.

Usage Notes

Use 莹 in descriptive contexts, especially when referring to gems or shiny objects. Avoid using it in overly casual settings, as it carries a more poetic or formal nuance. A common collocation is '水晶莹' (shui jing ying), meaning 'crystal clear'.

HSK Study Tips

Although 莹 is not currently included in the HSK levels, it connects to themes of beauty and brightness found in level 4 and 5 vocabulary. Focus on recognizing this character in descriptive writing and poetry to enhance your understanding of imagery in the language.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 莹 with similar-sounding characters like 盈 (yíng), which means 'to overflow' or 'full'. Remember, while both share a bright connotation, their meanings and contexts differ significantly.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 莹

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Etymology of 莹

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

Simplified form of 瑩; fiery 火 like a gem 玉

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 莹?

Decomposition of 莹

IDS Structure⿱艹⿱冖玉
莹Full character
=
艹cao3
top
冖mi4
top
玉yu4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Parts

Which of these is part of 莹?

How to say bright, lustrous, sparkling like a gem in Chinese

“bright, lustrous, sparkling like a gem” in Chinese is莹yíng

The character 莹 (yíng) describes something that is bright, lustrous, or sparkling, particularly like a gem. It is often used to convey a sense of beauty and brilliance, making it common in poetic or literary contexts, as well as in descriptions of precious stones.

When to use 莹

Use 莹 in descriptive contexts, especially when referring to gems or shiny objects. Avoid using it in overly casual settings, as it carries a more poetic or formal nuance. A common collocation is '水晶莹' (shui jing ying), meaning 'crystal clear'.

莹 or something close to it

晶 (jīng) — use 莹 (yíng) for a focus on beauty and sparkle, while 晶 (jīng) emphasizes clarity and transparency.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 莹 with similar-sounding characters like 盈 (yíng), which means 'to overflow' or 'full'. Remember, while both share a bright connotation, their meanings and contexts differ significantly.

Write 莹

莹

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

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Grammar patterns of 莹

莹 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

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

达西脸色苍白,汗珠晶____。

Darcy's face was white and glistening with sweat.

Example sentences for 莹 (3)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
达西脸色苍白,汗珠晶莹。

dá xī liǎnsè cāngbái, hàn zhū jīngyíng。

Darcy's face was white and glistening with sweat.
2
冬山如玉, 玉龙飞舞, 晶莹剔透, 玉树琼枝, 银装素裹.

dōng shān rú yù, yù lóng fēi wǔ, jīngyíng tī tòu, yù shù qióng zhī, yín zhuāng sù guǒ.

Dongshan as jade, Yulong dancing, sparkling, Joan Yushu sticks, snow - wrapped.
3
明骨经浸发去腥后, 晶莹透明, 质感柔滑.

míng gǔ Jīng jìn fā qù xīng hòu, jīngyíng tòumíng, zhì gǎn róu huá.

The dip made out of bone Qu Xing, the crystal clear, silky texture.

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Word Family of 莹

Words containing this character4
晶莹jīngyíngsparkling and translucent晶瑩
莹yíngluster of gems瑩
绿莹莹green and lush綠瑩瑩
沈莹Shen Ying of Wu, governor (268-280) of coastal province of Wu and compiler of Seaboard Geographic Gazetteer 臨海水土誌|临海水土志沈瑩
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 莹

What does 晶莹 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 莹

莹 is rarely used in casual conversation but may appear in literature or discussions about jewelry.

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