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亮 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
亮liàngbrightHSK 4, v, 9 strokes, radical 亠, rank #2148, Medium
亮liàngclearHSK 4, v, 9 strokes, radical 亠, rank #2148, Medium
亮liàngresonantHSK 4, v, 9 strokes, radical 亠, rank #2148, Medium
亮liàngto shineHSK 4, v, 9 strokes, radical 亠, rank #2148, Medium
亮liàngto showHSK 4, v, 9 strokes, radical 亠, rank #2148, Medium
亮liàngto revealHSK 4, v, 9 strokes, radical 亠, rank #2148, Medium
亮liàngbright, brilliant, radiant, lightHSK 4, v, 9 strokes, radical 亠, rank #2148, Medium
liàng(liang4) T4
  1. 1bright
  2. 2clear
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

亮liàng(liang4)

The character 亮 (liàng) primarily means 'bright' or 'light,' and is often used to describe something that shines or is clear. In various contexts, it can refer to brightness in terms of light, clarity of thought, or even the resonance of sound, making it applicable in both physical and abstract situations.

Strokes9Radical亠Frequency#2148DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, brightness often symbolizes hope and positivity, making 亮 a common choice in auspicious phrases and celebrations, such as the use of bright decorations during the Lunar New Year to ward off bad luck.

Memory Tip

Imagine a bright light bulb (亮) illuminating a dark room. The left part of the character looks like a 'light beam,' while the right part suggests clarity, as if the light is revealing hidden details. This imagery helps you remember both the meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 亮

liàng(liang4)
1bright
2clear
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 亮

亮Simplified
9Strokes
亠Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#2148Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 亮

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Podcast: 亮

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AI Study Notes for 亮

Quick Contrast

明 (míng) - use 亮 (liàng) when specifically referring to brightness or clarity in a physical sense, while 明 (míng) can also imply intelligence or understanding.

Usage Notes

A common mistake is using 亮 in contexts where another word like 明 (míng) would be more appropriate, especially when referring to clarity of understanding. While 亮 can be used in casual settings, it can also convey a sense of brilliance in formal speech, so be aware of the context.

HSK Study Tips

At HSK Level 5, 亮 connects with other adjectives describing qualities, such as 明 (bright). Focus on practicing its use in both literal and figurative expressions, as well as in compound words like 亮度 (liàngdù, brightness) to build vocabulary depth.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 亮 with 明 (míng) and use it incorrectly in contexts that require clarity of thought. For example, saying '我不亮' (Wǒ bù liàng) to mean 'I don't understand' is incorrect; it should be '我不明' (Wǒ bù míng).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 亮

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Etymology of 亮

Formation TypePictographic 象形
六书 ClassificationPictograph (象形字)~4% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 人 represents the meaning and 京 represents the sound. Depicts a person (人) in a high place (京).

Memory Hint

A lit oil lamp

Learn more about Pictograph (象形字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 亮

Phonosemantic compound. 人 represents the meaning and 京 represents the sound. Depicts a person (人) in a high place (京).

  1. 1The giveawayA lit oil lamp
  2. 2On the record aspictographic — someone drew the thing itself.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 亮? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 亮?

Decomposition of 亮

IDS Structure⿳亠口⿱冖几
亮Full Character
=
亠tou2
top
口kou3
middle
冖mi4
top
几ji1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 亮?

How to say bright in Chinese

“bright” in Chinese is亮liàng

The character 亮 (liàng) primarily means 'bright' or 'light,' and is often used to describe something that shines or is clear. In various contexts, it can refer to brightness in terms of light, clarity of thought, or even the resonance of sound, making it applicable in both physical and abstract situations.

When to use 亮

A common mistake is using 亮 in contexts where another word like 明 (míng) would be more appropriate, especially when referring to clarity of understanding. While 亮 can be used in casual settings, it can also convey a sense of brilliance in formal speech, so be aware of the context.

亮 or something close to it

明 (míng) - use 亮 (liàng) when specifically referring to brightness or clarity in a physical sense, while 明 (míng) can also imply intelligence or understanding.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 亮 with 明 (míng) and use it incorrectly in contexts that require clarity of thought. For example, saying '我不亮' (Wǒ bù liàng) to mean 'I don't understand' is incorrect; it should be '我不明' (Wǒ bù míng).

Write 亮

亮

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 亮

亮 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 7 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.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

漂____的花开了。

The beautiful flowers bloomed.

Example Sentences for 亮 (14)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我觉得她不但长得非常漂亮，而且还有很多优秀品质。

wǒ jué dé tā bù dàn cháng dé fēi cháng piāo liàng， ， ér qiě huán yǒu hěn duō yōu xiù pǐn。

I think she has many good qualities besides being very beautiful.
2
我花大笔钱购置了上班时穿的漂亮新套装。

wǒ huā dà bǐ qián gòu zhì le shàng bān shí chuān de piāo liàng xīn tào zhuāng。

I spent lots of money on smart new outfits for work.
3
这件套头毛衣又舒服又漂亮。

zhè jiàn tào tóu máo yī yòu shū fú yòu piāo liàng。

The jumper strikes the perfect balance between comfort and smartness.
4
这种树很容易辨认，因为它有着非常漂亮的银色树皮。

zhè zhǒng shù hěn róng yì biàn rèn， ， yīn wéi tā yǒu zháo fēi cháng piāo liàng de yín sè shù。

This tree is always recognizable by its extremely beautiful silvery bark.
5
射击场被一排排深红色的灯光设备从下面照亮了.

shè jī cháng bèi yī pái pái shēn hóng sè de dēng guāng shè bèi cóng xià miàn zhào liàng le.

The shooting-range is lit from underneath by rows of ruby-red light fittings.
6
莱瑟戴尔头部一侧遭到响亮的一击。

lái sè dài ěr tóu bù yī cè zāo dào xiǎng liàng de yī jī。

Leatherdale was hit resoundingly on the side of the head.
7
他一脚漂亮的凌空抽射，把球踢进了球门的远角。

tā yī jiǎo piāo liàng de líng kōng chōu shè， ， bǎ qiú tī jìn le qiú mén de yuǎn。

He volleyed the ball spectacularly into the far corner of the net.
8
一道道灯光照亮了夜空。

yī dào dào dēng guāng zhào liàng le yè kōng。

The night sky was lit up by flashes of light.
9
他划亮一根火柴，伸长胳膊举着。

tā huá liàng yī gēn huǒ chái， ， shēn cháng gē bó jǔ。

He struck a match, and held it at arm's length.
10
“可这是一件漂亮的首饰，不是吗？”

“ “ kě zhè shì yī jiàn piāo liàng de shǒu， shì ， bù？”

"It's a nice piece of jewellery though, isn't it?"
11
天快亮的时候，山顶的积雪在阳光下显得格外亮。

Tiān kuài liàng de shíhòu, shāndǐng de jīxuě zài yángguāng xià xiǎnde géwài liàng.

As dawn approached, the snow on the mountaintop appeared especially bright in the sunlight.
12
他的眼睛在黑暗中闪烁着亮光，仿佛能看透一切。

Tā de yǎnjīng zài hēi'àn zhōng shǎnshuòzhe liàngguāng, fǎngfú néng kàntòu yíqiè.

His eyes sparkled with brightness in the dark, as if they could see through everything.
13
这颗星星今晚特别亮，吸引了许多天文爱好者的注意。

Zhè kē xīngxing jīnwǎn tèbié liàng, xīyǐnle xǔduō tiānwén àihǎozhě de zhùyì.

This star is particularly bright tonight, attracting the attention of many astronomy enthusiasts.
14
她穿了一件亮红色的裙子，走进房间时立刻引起了大家的注意。

Tā chuānle yī jiàn liàng hóngsè de qúnzi, zǒu jìn fángjiān shí lìkè yǐnqǐle dàjiā de zhùyì.

She wore a bright red dress, immediately capturing everyone's attention as she walked into the room.

Word Family of 亮

Compounds3
喨liang4to yell; to wail, to cry; to neigh
湸
煷
Words Containing This Character20
漂亮piàoliangpretty
亮liàngbright
月亮yuèliangthe moon
亮相liàngxiàngto strike a pose (Chinese opera)
闪亮brilliant閃亮
明亮míngliàngbright
天亮dawn
亮度brightness
照亮to illuminate
亮丽liànglìbright and beautiful亮麗
响亮xiǎngliàngloud and clear響亮
光亮bright
诸葛亮mastermind諸葛亮
发亮to shine發亮
田亮Tian Liang (1979-), former male Chinese diver, Olympic medalist
亮光light
亮点liàngdiǎnhighlight亮點
亮晶晶gleaming
擦亮to polish
雪亮shiny
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 喨 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 亮

Yes, you can use 亮 metaphorically to describe someone as 'bright' in terms of intelligence or character, but be careful as it’s less common than direct descriptors.

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