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淋 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
淋línto sprinkleHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋línto dripHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋línto pourHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋línto drenchHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋línto filterHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋línto strainHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋línto drainHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋língonorrheaHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋lín(TCM) stranguryHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋línto drench, to drip, to soak; perfectlyHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋lìnto sprinkleHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋lìnto dripHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋lìnto pourHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋lìnto drenchHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋lìnto filterHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋lìnto strainHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋lìnto drainHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋lìngonorrheaHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋lìn(TCM) stranguryHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
淋lìnto drench, to drip, to soak; perfectlyHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #7021, Hard
lín(lin2)
primary
 T2
  1. 1to sprinkle
  2. 2to drip
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

淋lín(lin2)

The character 淋 (lín) primarily means to sprinkle, drip, or pour, often referring to the action of liquid falling or being applied in small amounts. It is commonly used in both everyday contexts, such as cooking or watering plants, as well as in medical terminology, particularly in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to describe symptoms related to urination.

Strokes11Radical氵Frequency#7021DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, symptoms described by 淋 can be linked to various conditions and are often addressed through herbal remedies and acupuncture, emphasizing the importance of holistic health in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a rainstorm where droplets of water are falling gently (淋) from the sky, drenching everything below. The character's water radical (氵) suggests its relation to liquid, while the rest of the character can remind you of 'dripping' sounds.

Meanings of 淋

lín(lin2)
primary
1to sprinkle
2to drip
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 淋

淋Simplified
11Strokes
氵Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#7021Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L6AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 淋

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Podcast: 淋

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AI Study Notes for 淋

Quick Contrast

洒 (sǎ) means to splash or sprinkle liquid in a more dispersed manner, while 淋 (lín) emphasizes a more controlled dripping or pouring action.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 淋 (lín) with similar-sounding words, as it can lead to misunderstanding in both spoken and written contexts. This character is often used in informal contexts, but can also appear in formal writing, especially in TCM discussions. Common collocations include 淋浴 (lín yù - to take a shower) and 淋湿 (lín shī - to get wet).

HSK Study Tips

As a level 6 HSK word, 淋 connects with other HSK 6 words like 滴 (dī - to drip) and 流 (liú - to flow), focusing on liquid-related terms. Students should practice both its pronunciation and its different contexts to understand its versatility fully.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 淋 with the character 洗 (xǐ - to wash), leading to phrases like '洗湿' instead of the correct '淋湿'. Remember that 淋 specifically involves dripping or pouring, while 洗 relates to washing.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 淋

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Etymology of 淋

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

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 林 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

water

Semantic (meaning)氵
+
Phonetic (sound)林
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 淋

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 林 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half林 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywater
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 淋? 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 淋?

Decomposition of 淋

IDS Structure⿰氵林
淋Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
林Lin2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 淋?

How to say to sprinkle in Chinese

“to sprinkle” in Chinese is淋lín

The character 淋 (lín) primarily means to sprinkle, drip, or pour, often referring to the action of liquid falling or being applied in small amounts. It is commonly used in both everyday contexts, such as cooking or watering plants, as well as in medical terminology, particularly in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to describe symptoms related to urination.

When to use 淋

Be careful not to confuse 淋 (lín) with similar-sounding words, as it can lead to misunderstanding in both spoken and written contexts. This character is often used in informal contexts, but can also appear in formal writing, especially in TCM discussions. Common collocations include 淋浴 (lín yù - to take a shower) and 淋湿 (lín shī - to get wet).

淋 or something close to it

洒 (sǎ) means to splash or sprinkle liquid in a more dispersed manner, while 淋 (lín) emphasizes a more controlled dripping or pouring action.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 淋 with the character 洗 (xǐ - to wash), leading to phrases like '洗湿' instead of the correct '淋湿'. Remember that 淋 specifically involves dripping or pouring, while 洗 relates to washing.

Write 淋

淋

Practice writing 淋 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 淋

淋 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 10 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 lessons5
Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

衣服已经被雨____湿了，我索性就合上了伞，直接在雨中散步了。

My clothes were already soaked by the rain, so I just closed my umbrella and walked in the rain.

Common Confusions with 淋

淋vs霖
lín

Same pronunciation, but different meanings.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "to sprinkle"?

or

Example Sentences for 淋 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
卫生间里装了两个抽水马桶、两个淋浴器、和两个洗脸盆。

wèi shēng jiān lǐ zhuāng le liǎng gè chōu shuǐ mǎ tǒng、 、 liǎng gè lín yù、 qì 、 hé liǎng gè xǐ。

The bathroom is furnished with 2 toilets, 2 showers, and 2 sinks.
2
我想晚餐前洗个淋浴。

wǒ xiǎng wǎn cān qián xǐ gè lín yù。

I think I'll have a shower before dinner.
3
做家务真的会让人大汗淋漓。

zuò jiā wù zhēn de huì ràng rén dà hàn lín lí。

You can really work up a sweat doing housework.
4
他的头发淋雨后紧贴在头皮上。

tā de tóu fā lín yǔ hòu jǐn tiē zài tóu pí shàng。

His hair was plastered down to his scalp by the rain.
5
没过五分钟，马和骑手都大汗淋漓。

méi guò wǔ fēn zhōng， ， mǎ hé qí shǒu dū dà hàn lín。

Both horse and rider were dripping with sweat within five minutes.
6
将剩下的调料淋在鸭肉和色拉上。

jiāng shèng xià de tiáo liào lín zài yā ròu hé sè lā shàng。

Drizzle the remaining dressing over the duck and salad.
7
他走出淋浴间，开始用毛巾把身子擦干。

tā zǒu chū lín yù jiān， ， kāi shǐ yòng máo jīn bǎ shēn zǐ cā。

He stepped out of the shower and began towelling himself down.
8
澳大利亚人把香蕉炸了，然后再淋上蜂蜜吃。

ào dà lì yà rén bǎ xiāng jiāo zhà le， ， rán hòu zài lín shàng fēng mì。

The Australians fry their bananas and sweeten them with honey.
9
你叫雨淋了 吗 ?

nǐ jiào yǔ lín le?

Did you get wet?
10
生活就像淋浴，方向转错，水深火热。

shēng huó jiù xiàng lín yù， ， fāng xiàng zhuǎn， cuò ， shuǐ shēn。

Life is like a shower. One wrong turn and you're in hot water.

Word Family of 淋

Words Containing This Character20
冰淇淋ice cream
淋línto drip
淋巴结lymphatic node淋巴結
淋浴shower
淋巴lymphatic
淋巴细胞lymphocyte淋巴細胞
淋漓尽致lit. extreme saturation (idiom)淋漓盡致
淋病gonorrhea
血淋淋dripping with blood
大汗淋漓dripping with sweat
淋漓pouring
酣畅淋漓to one's heart's content (idiom)酣暢淋漓
淋雨to get wet in the rain
淋湿to get soaked淋濕
淋巴管lymphatic channel
鲜血淋漓dripping blood鮮血淋漓
痛快淋漓joyous
日晒雨淋weather-beaten日曬雨淋
淋巴腺lymph node
狗血淋头fig. torrent of abuse狗血淋頭
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 冰淇淋 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 淋

While both relate to liquids, 淋 (lín) suggests a more continuous action of pouring or sprinkling, whereas 滴 (dī) specifically refers to the act of dripping.

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