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March 24, 2026
邻(鄰)lín(lin2)
The character 邻 (lín) primarily means 'neighbor' or 'adjacent'. It is commonly used to refer to people living nearby or to describe things that are close to each other. In various contexts, it can also imply a sense of community and social interaction among neighbors.
Strokes7Radical阝Frequency#18401DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of neighbors is significant, as traditional communities often emphasize close-knit relationships and support among residents. Festivals or gatherings are commonly shared experiences within neighborhoods.
Memory Tip
Imagine a house (the character 邻) with two doors side by side, one for you and one for your neighbor. The two 'doors' represent the adjacent nature of neighbors, and the sound 'lín' can be remembered by thinking of 'leaning' over to greet them.
Meanings of 邻
lín(lin2)
1neighbor
2adjacent
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 邻
邻Simplified
鄰Traditional
7Strokes
阝Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#18401Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2
Podcast: 邻
Podcast: 邻
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AI Study Notes for 邻
Quick Contrast
邻 (lín) vs 旁 (páng) — use 邻 when referring specifically to neighbors or people living nearby, while 旁 indicates a more general proximity without the implication of neighborliness.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 邻 (lín) with other similar-sounding words like 林 (lín), which means 'forest'. This character is typically used in informal contexts discussing community or locality, such as '邻居' (línjū) for 'neighbor'.
HSK Study Tips
While 邻 is not currently in the official HSK vocabulary lists, it is useful for learners at HSK Level 3 and above, as it connects to words about community and social relationships. Focus on combining it with other characters like 居 (jū) to form common phrases.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 邻 (lín) with the similar character 近 (jìn), leading to incorrect phrases like '我邻住得很近' instead of the correct '我和邻居住得很近'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 邻
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Phonosemantic compound. 阝 represents the meaning and 令 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鄰.
1The meaning half阝 carries the sense.
2The sound half令 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaytown
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
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Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 邻?
Decomposition of 邻
IDS Structure⿰令阝
邻Full Character
=
令Ling2
left
阝yi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 邻?
How to say neighbor in Chinese
“neighbor” in Chinese is邻lín
The character 邻 (lín) primarily means 'neighbor' or 'adjacent'. It is commonly used to refer to people living nearby or to describe things that are close to each other. In various contexts, it can also imply a sense of community and social interaction among neighbors.
When to use 邻
Be careful not to confuse 邻 (lín) with other similar-sounding words like 林 (lín), which means 'forest'. This character is typically used in informal contexts discussing community or locality, such as '邻居' (línjū) for 'neighbor'.
邻 or something close to it
邻 (lín) vs 旁 (páng) — use 邻 when referring specifically to neighbors or people living nearby, while 旁 indicates a more general proximity without the implication of neighborliness.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 邻 (lín) with the similar character 近 (jìn), leading to incorrect phrases like '我邻住得很近' instead of the correct '我和邻居住得很近'.
Write 邻
邻
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Grammar Patterns of 邻
邻 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 4 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.
Fraudsters are often shopped by honest friends and neighbours.
Cultural Notes for 邻
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, neighbors play an important role in community life. It is common for neighbors to socialize and help each other out, reflecting the value of relationships in Chinese society.
📜Proverb
There's a Chinese proverb: '远亲不如近邻', which means 'Distant relatives are not as helpful as close neighbors.' This highlights the significance of having a good relationship with those who live nearby.
Word Family of 邻
Words Containing This Character20
邻居línjūneighbor鄰居
邻línneighbor鄰
相邻neighbor相鄰
邻近neighboring鄰近
邻里neighbor鄰里
邻国línguóbordering country鄰國
毗邻bordering毗鄰
邻家next-door neighbor鄰家
紧邻close neighbor緊鄰
睦邻neighborly relations睦鄰
近邻close neighbor近鄰
邻邦neighboring state鄰邦
左邻右舍neighbors左鄰右舍
比邻neighbor比鄰
邻座neighbor鄰座
乡邻fellow villager鄉鄰
四邻one's nearest neighbors四鄰
邻接adjacent鄰接
邻人neighbor鄰人
远亲不如近邻A relative afar is less use than a close neighbor (idiom). Take whatever help is on hand, even from strangers.遠親不如近鄰
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 邻居 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 邻
Synonyms for 邻 (lín) include 旁 (páng), which means 'side' or 'nearby,' and 近 (jìn), meaning 'close.' These words can also convey a sense of proximity.
Yes, 邻 (lín) is often used in phrases like '邻里关系' (línlǐ guānxì), which means 'neighborhood relations.' This term refers to the interactions and relationships among neighbors.
You can use 邻 (lín) in sentences like '我的邻居很友好' (Wǒ de línjū hěn yǒuhǎo), which means 'My neighbor is very friendly.' It often appears in contexts discussing relationships between people who live close to each other.
邻 (lín) means 'neighbor' or 'adjacent' in Chinese. It is used to describe something that is close to or next to something else, often referring to people who live nearby.
You can say '我的邻居很友好' (Wǒ de línjū hěn yǒuhǎo), meaning 'My neighbor is very friendly.'
邻 (lín) specifically refers to neighbors or neighboring entities, while 近 (jìn) means 'close' in a more general sense.
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