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愣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
愣
lèng
to look distracted
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 忄, rank #13870, Very Hard
愣
lèng
to stare blankly
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 忄, rank #13870, Very Hard
愣
lèng
distracted
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 忄, rank #13870, Very Hard
愣
lèng
blank
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 忄, rank #13870, Very Hard
愣
lèng
(coll.) unexpectedly
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 忄, rank #13870, Very Hard
愣
lèng
rash
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 忄, rank #13870, Very Hard
愣
lèng
rashly
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 忄, rank #13870, Very Hard
愣
lèng
dazed, stupefied
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 忄, rank #13870, Very Hard
lèng(leng4)leng T4
1to look distracted
2to stare blankly
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March 24, 2026
愣lèng(leng4)
The character 愣 (lèng) conveys the idea of being in a daze or staring blankly, often as a reaction to surprise or confusion. It can describe a moment of distraction where someone is not fully engaged with their surroundings or thoughts, sometimes arising from unexpected situations or rash decisions.
Strokes12Radical忄Frequency#13870DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, being 'dazed' or 'staring blankly' can sometimes be viewed as a sign of emotional overwhelm, especially in stressful situations. It reflects the importance of being present and engaged in social interactions.
Memory tip
Imagine a 'blank stare' as someone suddenly sees a large, unexpected LENGth of something, like a long snake. Their eyes widen, and they are frozen in place, embodying the feeling of being dazed or absent-minded. The character's left side (忄) hints at emotions, while the right side relates to 'cold,' suggesting a shock that leaves one feeling numb.
Meanings of 愣
lèng(leng4)
1to look distracted
2to stare blankly
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 愣
愣Simplified
12Strokes
忄Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#13870Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 愣
Podcast: 愣
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AI study notes for 愣
Quick Contrast
愣 (lèng) vs 迷 (mí) — use 愣 for a dazed reaction to surprise, while 迷 indicates being lost or confused in a more general sense.
Usage Notes
When using 愣, it is often paired with expressions of surprise or shock. Be aware of the informal nature of the word; it’s more commonly found in conversational contexts rather than formal writing. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar verbs like 惊 (jīng), which focuses more on astonishment rather than a blank stare.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 6 word, 愣 connects to other advanced vocabulary that expresses emotional states or reactions. Students should focus on understanding its nuances in context, especially how it differs from other emotional verbs. Practice using it in sentences that describe moments of distraction or surprise.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 愣 with other similar words like 呆 (dāi), which means 'dull' or 'foolish' rather than just 'blank'. For example, saying '他很愣' (Tā hěn lèng) to mean 'He is very dull' is incorrect; it should be used in contexts of surprise, like '他愣住了' (Tā lèng zhù le) meaning 'He was stunned.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 愣
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Learning Lab
Knowing 愣 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.
愣 = 忄 + 罒. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 愣
IDS Structure⿰忄⿱罒方
愣Full character
=
忄xin1
left
罒wang3
top
方Fang1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3
Parts
Which of these is part of 愣?
How to say to look distracted in Chinese
“to look distracted” in Chinese is愣lèng
The character 愣 (lèng) conveys the idea of being in a daze or staring blankly, often as a reaction to surprise or confusion. It can describe a moment of distraction where someone is not fully engaged with their surroundings or thoughts, sometimes arising from unexpected situations or rash decisions.
When to use 愣
When using 愣, it is often paired with expressions of surprise or shock. Be aware of the informal nature of the word; it’s more commonly found in conversational contexts rather than formal writing. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar verbs like 惊 (jīng), which focuses more on astonishment rather than a blank stare.
愣 or something close to it
愣 (lèng) vs 迷 (mí) — use 愣 for a dazed reaction to surprise, while 迷 indicates being lost or confused in a more general sense.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 愣 with other similar words like 呆 (dāi), which means 'dull' or 'foolish' rather than just 'blank'. For example, saying '他很愣' (Tā hěn lèng) to mean 'He is very dull' is incorrect; it should be used in contexts of surprise, like '他愣住了' (Tā lèng zhù le) meaning 'He was stunned.'
Write 愣
愣
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Practice writing 愣 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 愣
愣 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 8 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.
