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赁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
lìnto rentv, 10 strokes, radical 贝, rank #80521, Very Hard
lìnto rent, to lease; to hire; employeev, 10 strokes, radical 贝, rank #80521, Very Hard
lìn(lin4) T4
  1. 1to rent
  2. 2to rent, to lease; to hire; employee
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March 24, 2026
(賃)lìn(lin4)

The character 赁 (lìn) primarily means 'to rent' or 'to lease.' It is commonly used in contexts related to real estate, equipment, or services where one party pays another for the temporary use of something. The nuance of this term implies a contractual agreement, often with specific terms regarding duration and payment.

Strokes10RadicalFrequency#80521DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In China, renting is a prevalent practice due to high property prices in urban areas, making 赁 a common term in daily life. Many young professionals rent apartments rather than purchasing them, reflecting broader economic trends.

Memory Tip

Imagine a landlord holding a 'linchpin' (sounds like lìn) that keeps the deal of renting tightly secured. The character 赁 has the radical for 'money' (租) combined with 'to attach' (合), reflecting the idea of attaching money to an agreement for renting something.

Meanings of 赁

lìn(lin4)
1to rent
2to rent, to lease; to hire; employee
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 赁

Simplified
Traditional
10Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#65535Frequency Rank

Podcast: 赁

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AI Study Notes for 赁

Quick Contrast

租 (zū, to rent) - use 赁 (lìn) when emphasizing a formal leasing contract with specific terms.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a landlord holding a 'linchpin' (sounds like lìn) that keeps the deal of renting tightly secured. The character 赁 has the radical for 'money' (租) combined with 'to attach' (合), reflecting the idea of attaching money to an agreement for renting something.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone; 赁 uses the fourth tone, which can be confused with the first tone in casual speech. It's more formal than colloquial alternatives like 租 (zū), which also means to rent but is used more informally. Common collocations include 赁房 (lìn fáng) for 'rent a house' and 赁车 (lìn chē) for 'rent a car.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 赁 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects to Level 3 and 4 vocabulary involving commerce and services. Students should focus on understanding its application in rental agreements and how it differs from similar words like 租.

Cultural Note

In China, renting is a prevalent practice due to high property prices in urban areas, making 赁 a common term in daily life. Many young professionals rent apartments rather than purchasing them, reflecting broader economic trends.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 赁 with 租 due to their similar meanings. For example, saying '我想租房' (wǒ xiǎng zū fáng) is correct, but using 赁 here would sound overly formal and awkward. The correct form is to use 租 in casual conversation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 赁

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Etymology of 赁

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Someone 任 working for money 贝

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 赁?

Decomposition of 赁

IDS Structure⿱任贝
Full Character
=
Ren4
top
Bei4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 赁?

Write 赁

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

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Grammar Patterns of 赁

赁 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. 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 1

Complete the Sentence

各处对单程租____的收费都很高。

There are hefty charges across the board for one-way rental.

Example Sentences for 赁 (1)

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1
各处对单程租赁的收费都很高。

gè chǔ duì dān chéng zū lìn de shōu fèi dū hěn gāo。

There are hefty charges across the board for one-way rental.

Cultural Notes for 赁

🏮Cultural insight

In China, renting is a prevalent practice due to high property prices in urban areas, making 赁 a common term in daily life. Many young professionals rent apartments rather than purchasing them, reflecting broader economic trends.

Word Family of 赁

Words Containing This Character2
租赁zūlìnto rent租賃
lìnto rent
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 租赁 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 赁

While both mean 'to rent,' 赁 often implies a more formal or contractual arrangement, whereas 租 is more casual and broadly used.