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龄 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
龄
líng
age
HSK 5, zg, 13 strokes, radical 齿, rank #13073, Hard
龄
líng
length of experience, membership etc
HSK 5, zg, 13 strokes, radical 齿, rank #13073, Hard
龄
líng
age; years
HSK 5, zg, 13 strokes, radical 齿, rank #13073, Hard
líng(ling2)ling T2
1age
2length of experience, membership etc
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March 24, 2026
龄(齡)líng(ling2)
The character 龄 (líng) primarily means 'age' and is often used to refer to the number of years a person has lived. It can also imply the length of experience or membership in a certain category, highlighting the importance of age in social contexts, such as discussing someone's qualifications or status.
Strokes13Radical齿Frequency#13073DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, age is often associated with respect and authority, making the discussion of age significant in social and professional settings. The character 龄 reflects this cultural nuance, emphasizing the value placed on experience and maturity.
Memory tip
Imagine a turtle (龟 - guī), which symbolizes longevity and wisdom in Chinese culture, slowly counting its years. The character 龄 (líng) has a similar structure, incorporating the radical for 'turtle' to remind you that age brings experience and knowledge.
Meanings of 龄
líng(ling2)
1age
2length of experience, membership etc
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 龄
龄Simplified
齡Traditional
13Strokes
齿Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#13073Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5
Podcast: 龄
Podcast: 龄
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AI study notes for 龄
Quick Contrast
年龄 (niánlíng) - use 龄 (líng) for a more formal or literary context, while 年龄 (niánlíng) is more commonly used in everyday speech.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 龄 (líng) with 年龄 (niánlíng), which is more commonly used in conversational contexts to refer to someone's age. Remember that 龄 can sound formal and is typically used in written Chinese or official documents. Be careful with the tone as it can change the meaning.
HSK Study Tips
Though 龄 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it is useful for students at HSK 3 and above who are learning to discuss personal information. Focus on using it in sentences discussing age and experience, connecting it with related vocabulary like 年 (nián) and 经验 (jīngyàn).
Common Mistakes
Learners may incorrectly use 龄 in informal contexts where 年龄 would be more appropriate, such as saying '我今年龄30' instead of '我今年30岁'. Always remember to use the correct term for the situation.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 龄
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Example
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Knowing 龄 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
龄 = 齿 + 令. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 龄
IDS Structure⿰齿令
龄Full character
=
齿chi3
left
令Ling2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 龄?
How to say age in Chinese
“age” in Chinese is龄líng
The character 龄 (líng) primarily means 'age' and is often used to refer to the number of years a person has lived. It can also imply the length of experience or membership in a certain category, highlighting the importance of age in social contexts, such as discussing someone's qualifications or status.
When to use 龄
Learners often confuse 龄 (líng) with 年龄 (niánlíng), which is more commonly used in conversational contexts to refer to someone's age. Remember that 龄 can sound formal and is typically used in written Chinese or official documents. Be careful with the tone as it can change the meaning.
龄 or something close to it
年龄 (niánlíng) - use 龄 (líng) for a more formal or literary context, while 年龄 (niánlíng) is more commonly used in everyday speech.
What learners get wrong
Learners may incorrectly use 龄 in informal contexts where 年龄 would be more appropriate, such as saying '我今年龄30' instead of '我今年30岁'. Always remember to use the correct term for the situation.
Write 龄
龄
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Practice writing 龄 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 龄
龄 carries 3 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Most of them have young children below school age.
9
和他们同龄的德国人有着更强烈的公民归属感。
hé tāmen tóng líng de dé guó rén yǒuzhe gèng qiángliè de gōngmín guīshǔ gǎn。
Their German peers had a more developed sense of citizenship.
10
随着年龄的增加，人在消耗体力时心脏的输血能力和输血速度会有所减弱。
suízhe niánlíng de zēngjiā， rén zài xiāohào tǐlì shí xīnzàng de shūxuè nénglì hé shūxuè sùdù huì yǒusuǒ jiǎnruò。
Age diminishes the heart's ability to pump harder and faster under exertion.
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Word Family of 龄
Words containing this character20
年龄niánlíng(a person's) age年齡
保龄球bǎolíngqiúbowling ball保齡球
龄língage齡
高龄gāolíngelderly高齡
同龄tónglíngof the same age同齡
同龄人tónglíngrénpeer同齡人
适龄shìlíngof age適齡
老龄化lǎolínghuàaging (population)老齡化
老龄lǎolíngold age老齡
工龄gōnglíngseniority工齡
宋庆龄sòngqìnglíngSong Qingling or Rosemonde Soong (1893-1981), wife of Sun Yat-sen 孫中山|孙中山[SūnZhōngshān]宋慶齡
妙龄miàolíng(of a girl) in the prime of youth妙齡
学龄xuélíngschool age學齡
宋美龄sòngměilíngSoong Mei-ling (1898-2003), Chiang Kai-shek's second wife宋美齡
大龄dàlíngolder (than average in a group, at school, for marriage etc)大齡
超龄chāolíngtoo old超齡
婚龄hūnlíngmarriageable age婚齡
芳龄fānglíngage (of a young woman)芳齡
育龄yùlíngchildbearing age育齡
蒲松龄púsōnglíngPu Songling (1640-1715), author of 聊齋志異|聊斋志异[LiáozhāiZhìyì]蒲松齡
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 龄
What does 年龄 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 龄
龄 (líng) and 年龄 (nián líng) both refer to age, but 龄 is often used in more formal contexts or combined with other characters, while 年龄 is the more common term used in everyday conversation. Understanding this distinction can help you choose the right word based on the situation.
龄 (líng) means 'age' in Chinese and is often used to refer to the number of years someone has lived. It can also indicate the length of experience or membership in a particular context. For instance, you might see it used in phrases like '年龄' (nián líng) which means 'age' or 'years of age'.
To use 龄 (líng) in a sentence, you can say '我今年二十岁，年龄是二十.' (Wǒ jīnnián èrshí suì, niánlíng shì èrshí), which translates to 'I am twenty years old, my age is twenty.' This shows how to express age in a straightforward way using the character.
You can say '我今年三十岁' (wǒ jīnnián sānshí suì) to mean 'I am thirty years old,' where '岁' (suì) is more common in conversation, while 龄 might appear in formal contexts.
No, 龄 can also refer to the age of objects or institutions, albeit less commonly. For example, you might discuss the age of a building.
年龄 (niánlíng) is the more common term for age in everyday conversation, while 龄 (líng) is often used in more formal contexts.
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