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霆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
tínga sudden peal of thunderg, 14 strokes, radical 雨, Very Hard
tíngclap of thunderunknown, 14 strokes, radical 雨, Very Hard
tíng(ting2) T2
  1. 1a sudden peal of thunder
  2. 2clap of thunder
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March 24, 2026
tíng(ting2)

The character 霆 (tíng) refers to a sudden, powerful peal of thunder. It is often used in literary and poetic contexts to evoke strong imagery of storms and nature's power, distinguishing it from more common terms for thunder.

Strokes14RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, thunder is often associated with power and divine presence, and the character 霆 captures this imagery, reflecting the ancient beliefs in nature's influence on human affairs. Thunder is also frequently referenced in classical poetry.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant 'T' for thunder striking down with a sudden force, creating a 'ting' sound that echoes through the sky. The '雨' (rain) radical suggests the stormy context, while '丁' (dīng) represents a sharp, piercing sound, emphasizing the intensity of thunder.

Meanings of 霆

tíng(ting2)
1a sudden peal of thunder
2clap of thunder
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 霆

Simplified
14Strokes
Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 霆

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AI Study Notes for 霆

Quick Contrast

雷 (léi) refers to thunder in a more general sense, while 霆 (tíng) specifically evokes a more dramatic or literary imagery of thunder.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a giant 'T' for thunder striking down with a sudden force, creating a 'ting' sound that echoes through the sky. The '雨' (rain) radical suggests the stormy context, while '丁' (dīng) represents a sharp, piercing sound, emphasizing the intensity of thunder.

Usage Notes

Learners should note that 霆 is more formal and literary than the everyday word for thunder (雷, léi). It often appears in descriptions of dramatic weather events and should be used in a poetic or elevated register. Be careful to pronounce it with the correct tone to avoid confusion with similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 霆 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list, it connects with HSK Level 4 words related to nature (like 雨, yǔ for rain) and sound (like 声音, shēngyīn for sound). Focus on recognizing its usage in literature and poetry to enhance your vocabulary.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, thunder is often associated with power and divine presence, and the character 霆 captures this imagery, reflecting the ancient beliefs in nature's influence on human affairs. Thunder is also frequently referenced in classical poetry.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is confusing 霆 (tíng) with 雷 (léi) due to their similar meanings; remember that 霆 is more formal and poetic. For example, saying '我听到霆' (Wǒ tīngdào tíng) is incorrect, as it should be '我听到雷' (Wǒ tīngdào léi) for everyday usage.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 霆

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Etymology of 霆

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 雨 represents the meaning and 廷 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

rain

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 霆?

Decomposition of 霆

IDS Structure⿱雨廷
Full Character
=
yu3
top
ting2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 霆?

Write 霆

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 霆

霆 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

他常常讽刺或挖苦人,有时又会大发雷____。

He was often caustic and mocking, or flew into rages.

Example Sentences for 霆 (8)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他常常讽刺或挖苦人,有时又会大发雷霆。

tā cháng cháng fěng cì huò wā kǔ rén, , yǒu shí yòu huì dà fā léi。

He was often caustic and mocking, or flew into rages.
2
我只有一次见过她大发雷霆。

wǒ zhī yǒu yī cì jiàn guò tā dà fā léi tíng。

I saw her in a towering rage only once.
3
长江以雷霆万钧之势,咆哮而下,滚滚东流, 昼夜不息.

cháng jiāng yǐ léi tíng wàn jūn zhī shì, , páo xiào ér, xià , gǔn gǔn, dōng liú , zhòu.

The Yangtze River roared east, billowing with irresistible force day and night.
4
她因为我请了迪克而大发雷霆。

tā yīn wéi wǒ qǐng le dí kè ér dà fā léi tíng。

She is livid that I have invited Dick.
5
我大发雷霆,把书砰地往课桌上一摔。

wǒ dà fā léi tíng, , bǎ shū pēng dì wǎng kè zhuō shàng yī。

I lost my temper and banged my book down on the desk.
6
他对我连续大发雷霆五分钟.

tā duì wǒ lián xù dà fā léi tíng wǔ fēn zhōng.

He stormed at me for five minutes on end.
7
我看见那又小又丑的犹太房东在他的房子里大发雷霆.

wǒ kàn jiàn nà yòu xiǎo yòu chǒu de yóu tài fáng dōng zài tā de fáng zǐ lǐ dà fā léi tíng.

I saw the ugly little landlord vociferating in his rooms.
8
他一读完那封由他付费的信, 顿时大发雷霆,随即便把信撕个粉碎.

tā yī dú wán nà fēng yóu tā fù fèi de xìn, , dùn shí dà fā léi, tíng , suí jí biàn bǎ xìn sī gè.

As soon as he finished reading the collect letter, he fell into a rage and tore it into pieces.

Cultural Notes for 霆

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, thunder is often associated with power and divine presence, and the character 霆 captures this imagery, reflecting the ancient beliefs in nature's influence on human affairs. Thunder is also frequently referenced in classical poetry.

Word Family of 霆

Words Containing This Character4
大发雷霆to be furious大發雷霆
谢霆锋Tse Ting-Fung or Nicholas Tse (1980-), Cantopop star謝霆鋒
雷霆sound of thunder
tíngclap of thunder
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 大发雷霆 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 霆

No, 霆 is mainly used in literary contexts and is not common in daily conversation.