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陵 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
陵língmoundng, 10 strokes, radical 阝, rank #21101, Very Hard
陵língtombng, 10 strokes, radical 阝, rank #21101, Very Hard
陵línghillng, 10 strokes, radical 阝, rank #21101, Very Hard
陵língmountainng, 10 strokes, radical 阝, rank #21101, Very Hard
陵línghill, mound; mausoleumng, 10 strokes, radical 阝, rank #21101, Very Hard
líng(ling2)ling T2
  1. 1mound
  2. 2tomb
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

陵líng(ling2)

The character 陵 (líng) primarily refers to a mound or hill, often in the context of tombs or mausoleums. It is commonly used in historical and cultural references, particularly those related to burial practices in ancient China.

Strokes10Radical阝Frequency#21101DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

陵 is significant in Chinese culture as it relates to ancestral worship and the importance of tomb construction, particularly in dynastic history. The Ming Dynasty's Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is a well-known example of this cultural practice.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'ling' (sounds like líng) where ancient kings are laid to rest on a grassy 'mound' (陵). The character's radicals suggest elevation (土 for earth) and structure, symbolizing a sacred place above the ground.

Meanings of 陵

líng(ling2)
1mound
2tomb
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 陵 means.

About 陵

陵Simplified
10Strokes
阝Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#21101Frequency Rank

Podcast: 陵

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Podcast: 陵

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AI study notes for 陵

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 陵 with similar characters that denote different kinds of hills or mounds. It is often used in formal contexts, especially related to history. Common collocations include 陵园 (língyuán - cemetery) and 陵墓 (língmù - tomb).

HSK Study Tips

As this character is not in the HSK system, focus on its application in historical contexts and vocabulary building around burial traditions. Relate it to other characters for places or structures to enhance retention.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 陵 with similar characters like 岭 (lǐng - ridge) or 墓 (mù - grave). Remember, 陵 specifically refers to a mound or tomb, not just any hill.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 陵

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Etymology of 陵

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

A hill 阝 where people are laid to rest 夌; 夌 also provides the pronunciation

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

Origin

What kind of character is 陵?

Decomposition of 陵

IDS Structure⿰阝夌
陵Full character
=
阝yi4
left
夌ling2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 陵?

How to say mound in Chinese

“mound” in Chinese is陵líng

The character 陵 (líng) primarily refers to a mound or hill, often in the context of tombs or mausoleums. It is commonly used in historical and cultural references, particularly those related to burial practices in ancient China.

When to use 陵

Be careful not to confuse 陵 with similar characters that denote different kinds of hills or mounds. It is often used in formal contexts, especially related to history. Common collocations include 陵园 (língyuán - cemetery) and 陵墓 (língmù - tomb).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 陵 with similar characters like 岭 (lǐng - ridge) or 墓 (mù - grave). Remember, 陵 specifically refers to a mound or tomb, not just any hill.

Write 陵

陵

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

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Grammar patterns of 陵

陵 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 5 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.

从我们的房子里向外望去,景色宜人,一直能看到科茨沃尔德丘____。

Our house has got a splendid view across to the Cotswolds.

Example sentences for 陵 (5)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
从我们的房子里向外望去,景色宜人,一直能看到科茨沃尔德丘陵。

cóng wǒmen de fángzi lǐ xiàng wài wàng qù, jǐngsè yírén, yìzhí néng kàndào kē cí wò ěr dé qiūlíng。

Our house has got a splendid view across to the Cotswolds.
2
帕萨迪纳坐落于圣加布里埃尔山麓的丘陵地带。

pà sà dí nà zuòluò yú shèng jiā bù lǐ āi ěr shān lù de qiūlíng dìdài。

Pasadena lies in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains.
3
上个星期,这个部门的筑路机开始将特怀福德丘陵地带的浸水草甸推平。

shàng gè xīngqī, zhège bùmén de zhù lù Jī kāishǐ jiāng tè huái fú dé qiūlíng dìdài de jìn shuǐ cǎo diān tuī píng。

Last week, the department's road builders began to bulldoze a water meadow on Twyford Down.
4
这一带地形平坦而多沼泽,再往远去地势隆起,形成矮山陵地.

zhè yídài dìxíng píngtǎn ér duō zhǎozé, zài wǎng yuǎn qù dìshì lōng qǐ, xíngchéng ǎi shān líng dì.

The land is flat and marshy before rising to a spine of low hills.
5
这丘陵上覆盖着11英寸厚的大雪.

zhè qiūlíng shàng fùgài zhe11 Yīng cùn hòu de dà xuě.

The hill was buried under 11 inches of snow.

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Word Family of 陵

Words containing this character20
陵língmound
陵墓língmùtomb
金陵jīnlíngcommon place name
丘陵qiūlínghills
格陵兰gélínglánGreenland格陵蘭
江陵jiānglíngJiangling county in Jingzhou 荊州|荆州[Jīng​zhōu], Hubei
陵园língyuáncemetery陵園
格陵兰岛gélínglándǎoGreenland格陵蘭島
涪陵fúlíngFuling suburbs of Chongqing municipality, formerly in Sichuan
中山陵zhōngshānlíngDr Sun Yat-sen's mausoleum in Nanjing
嘉陵江jiālíngjiāngJialing river in Sichuan (a tributary of the Yangtze)
铜陵tónglíngTongling prefecture level city and county in Anhui銅陵
武陵wǔlíngWuling district of Changde city 常德市[Cháng​dé​shì], Hunan
广陵guǎnglíngGuangling district of Yangzhou city 揚州市|扬州市[Yáng​zhōu​shì], Jiangsu廣陵
乾陵qiánlíngQianling at Xianyang 咸陽市|咸阳市 in Shaanxi, burial site of third Tang emperor 高宗 and empress Wuzetian 武則天|武则天
嘉陵jiālíngJialing district of Nanchong city 南充市[Nán​chōng​shì], Sichuan
东陵dōnglíngEastern tombs東陵
东陵区dōnglíngqūDongling district of Shenyang city 瀋陽市|沈阳市, Liaoning東陵區
陵寝língqǐntomb (of king or emperor)陵寢
海陵hǎilíngHailing district of Taizhou city 泰州市[Tài​zhōu​shì], Jiangsu
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 陵

What does 陵墓 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 陵

In modern usage, 陵 often refers to historical sites or cemeteries, reflecting its roots in burial practices.

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