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浪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
浪
làng
wave
HSK 7, n, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #4412, Very Hard
浪
làng
breaker
HSK 7, n, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #4412, Very Hard
浪
làng
unrestrained
HSK 7, n, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #4412, Very Hard
浪
làng
dissipated
HSK 7, n, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #4412, Very Hard
浪
làng
breaker, wave; reckless, wasteful
HSK 7, n, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #4412, Very Hard
làng(lang4)lang T4
1wave
2breaker
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March 24, 2026
浪làng(lang4)
The character 浪 (làng) primarily means 'wave' and can refer to ocean waves or metaphorical waves of emotion or behavior. It also carries connotations of being unrestrained or reckless, often used in contexts that describe wasteful or dissipated actions, such as 'wasting time' or 'living a carefree life.'
Strokes10Radical氵Frequency#4412DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of waves (浪) can symbolize both the beauty of nature and the tumultuousness of life. The term is often used in poetry and literature to evoke feelings of nostalgia or the fleeting nature of time.
Memory tip
Imagine a big, crashing wave (浪) at the beach. The wave is so powerful that it sweeps everything away, representing a sense of being unrestrained or reckless. The sound 'làng' can remind you of 'long' waves that stretch across the ocean, emphasizing their vastness and dynamism.
Meanings of 浪
làng(lang4)
1wave
2breaker
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 浪
浪Simplified
10Strokes
氵Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#4412Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 浪
Podcast: 浪
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AI study notes for 浪
Quick Contrast
波 (bō) vs 浪 (làng): Use 浪 when emphasizing the unrestrained or reckless aspect of waves, while 波 refers specifically to the physical wave itself.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 浪 with similar-sounding words, so it's important to pay attention to context. It is generally used in informal settings, especially when describing behavior or lifestyle. Be cautious of using it in formal contexts, as it may come across as too casual.
HSK Study Tips
While 浪 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to higher-level vocabulary related to nature and behavior. Students should focus on its usage in idiomatic expressions and phrases to deepen their understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 浪 with similar characters like 朗 (lǎng), which means 'bright' or 'clear.' For example, saying 浪天 (làng tiān) instead of 朗天 (lǎng tiān) to mean 'clear sky' would be incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 浪
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Knowing 浪 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.
浪 = 氵 + 良. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 浪
IDS Structure⿰氵良
浪Full character
=
氵shui3
left
良liang2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 浪?
How to say wave in Chinese
“wave” in Chinese is浪làng
The character 浪 (làng) primarily means 'wave' and can refer to ocean waves or metaphorical waves of emotion or behavior. It also carries connotations of being unrestrained or reckless, often used in contexts that describe wasteful or dissipated actions, such as 'wasting time' or 'living a carefree life.'
When to use 浪
Learners often confuse 浪 with similar-sounding words, so it's important to pay attention to context. It is generally used in informal settings, especially when describing behavior or lifestyle. Be cautious of using it in formal contexts, as it may come across as too casual.
浪 or something close to it
波 (bō) vs 浪 (làng): Use 浪 when emphasizing the unrestrained or reckless aspect of waves, while 波 refers specifically to the physical wave itself.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes confuse 浪 with similar characters like 朗 (lǎng), which means 'bright' or 'clear.' For example, saying 浪天 (làng tiān) instead of 朗天 (lǎng tiān) to mean 'clear sky' would be incorrect.
Write 浪
浪
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Practice writing 浪 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 浪
浪 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 5 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.
hūnyīn shēnghuó bìng bù xiàng tā xiǎngxiàng de nàme làngmàn měihǎo。
Married life was not as idyllic as he had imagined.
6
这会让冲浪板更好控制。
zhè huì ràng chōnglàng bǎn gènghǎo kòngzhì。
This makes the surfboards more controllable.
7
没人知道现在有多少人在网上冲浪。
méi rén zhīdào xiànzài yǒu duōshao rén zài wǎngshang chōnglàng。
No one knows how many people currently surf the Net.
8
我认为那完全是浪费金钱。
wǒ rènwéi nà wánquán shì làngfèi jīnqián。
I think that is a total waste of money.
9
狂风大作，海面上波浪起伏。
kuáng fēng dà zuō， hǎimiàn shàng bōlàng qǐfú。
A gale was blowing and the sea was choppy.
10
海浪变得汹涌澎湃，把小船像漂浮的软木塞一样抛来甩去。
hǎilàng biàn de xiōngyǒng péngpài， bǎ xiǎo chuán xiàng piāofú de ruǎn mù sāi yíyàng pāo lái shuǎi qù。
The seas grew turbulent, tossing the small boat like a cork.
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Cultural Notes for 浪
💡Did you know?
在中国文化中，海浪常常被用来象征生命的起伏和变化。古代诗人常常用海浪来比喻人生的艰难与美好。
Word Family of 浪
Compounds1
蒗làngan herb; a place name
Words containing this character20
浪费làngfèito waste浪費
新浪xīnlàngSina, Chinese web portal and online media company
浪漫làngmànromantic
浪làngwave
冲浪chōnglàngto surf衝浪
流浪liúlàngto wander
流浪汉liúlànghàntramp流浪漢
浪潮làngcháowave
海浪hǎilàngsea wave
流浪者liúlàngzhěrover
波浪bōlàngwave
浪子làngzǐloafer
鼓浪屿gǔlàngyǔGulangyu, scenic island off Xiamen 廈門|厦门[Xiàmén]鼓浪嶼
热浪rèlàngheat wave熱浪
风浪fēnglàngwind and waves風浪
浪花lànghuāspray
浪荡làngdàngto loiter浪蕩
浪漫主义làngmànzhǔyìromanticism浪漫主義
风平浪静fēngpínglàngjìngall is quiet風平浪靜
浪头làngtouwave浪頭
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 浪
What does 蒗 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 浪
浪 (làng) and 波 (bō) both refer to waves, but 浪 is generally used for larger ocean waves or breakers, while 波 is used for smaller waves or ripples, like those seen in a pond. Understanding this distinction can help in more accurately describing different types of water movement.
浪 (làng) is often featured in idiomatic expressions like '浪费时间' (làng fèi shíjiān), which means 'to waste time.' This shows how the character can convey notions of being unrestrained or excessive in various contexts.
浪 (làng) primarily means 'wave' or 'breaker' in Chinese, often associated with water. It can also refer to being unrestrained or dissipated in a more abstract sense, such as in the context of a lifestyle or behavior.
You can use 浪 (làng) in sentences like '海浪很大' (hǎi làng hěn dà), which means 'The waves at sea are very big.' It can also be used metaphorically, for example, '他过着浪费的生活' (tā guòzhe làngfèi de shēnghuó) meaning 'He lives a dissipated life.'
Common phrases include 浪费时间 (waste time) and 浪荡 (to be unrestrained or carefree).
No, it can also describe emotional waves or reckless behavior.
It is pronounced as 'làng' with a falling tone.
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