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零 (líng) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 1

零 (líng) is a Chinese word: zero. This page shows its pinyin, translation, example sentences, character breakdown, decomposition, and HSK level.

Meaning of 零

数 shù numeral

zero

今天气温降到零度。

jīn tiān qì wēn jiàng dào líng dù

The temperature dropped to zero degrees today.

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Word breakdown

零 líng — zero

Words with this character (9)
  • 1 零下 líng xià — below zero HSK 4
    • 零 zero (the reference point on the temperature scale)
    • 下 below (indicating position beneath zero)
    Example

    今天的气温是零下五度。

    jīn tiān de qì wēn shì líng xià wǔ dù

    Today's temperature is five degrees below zero.

  • 2 零花钱 líng huā qián — pocket money HSK 4
    • 零 small, petty, miscellaneous
    • 花 to spend
    • 钱 money
    Example

    妈妈每个月给我一百元零花钱。

    mā ma měi gè yuè gěi wǒ yì bǎi yuán líng huā qián

    Mom gives me 100 yuan pocket money every month.

  • 3 零钱 líng qián — small change HSK 4
    • 零 small, fractional
    • 钱 money
    Example

    你有零钱吗？

    nǐ yǒu líng qián ma

    Do you have small change?

  • 4 零食 líng shí — snacks HSK 4
    • 零 fragmentary, scattered (referring to small portions)
    • 食 food
    Example

    她买了很多零食准备看电影。

    tā mǎi le hěn duō líng shí zhǔn bèi kàn diàn yǐng

    She bought a lot of snacks to prepare for watching a movie.

  • 5 孤零零 gū líng líng — all alone HSK 7
    • 孤 alone, solitary
    • 零 scattered, fragmentary (intensifies isolation)
    • 零 scattered, fragmentary (reduplication for emphasis)
    Example

    孩子孤零零地坐在公园的长椅上。

    hái zi gū líng líng de zuò zài gōng yuán de cháng yǐ shàng

    The child sat all alone on the park bench.

Show more (+4)
  • 6 零件 líng jiàn — part, component HSK 7
    • 零 spare, fragmentary (indicating individual pieces)
    • 件 piece, item (classifier/noun for individual parts)
    Example

    这个机器需要更换一个零件。

    zhè ge jī qì xū yào gēng huàn yí ge líng jiàn

    This machine needs to have a part replaced.

  • 7 零售 líng shòu — retail HSK 7
    • 零 fragmentary, scattered (indicating small quantities)
    • 售 sell
    Example

    这家公司主要做零售业务。

    zhè jiā gōng sī zhǔ yào zuò líng shòu yè wù

    This company mainly does retail business.

  • 8 零星 líng xīng — sporadic HSK 7
    • 零 fragmentary, scattered, odd bits
    • 星 star-like points, suggesting scattered distribution
    Example

    零星的雨点开始落下

    líng xīng de yǔ diǎn kāi shǐ luò xià

    Sporadic raindrops began to fall

  • 9 零碎 líng suì — fragmentary, scattered, trivial HSK 7
    • 零 scattered, fragmentary, not whole
    • 碎 broken into pieces, fragmented
    Example

    桌子上放着一些零碎的东西。

    zhuō zi shàng fàng zhe yì xiē líng suì de dōng xi

    There are some odds and ends on the table.

Structure & writing
1 零 líng — fragmentary; scattered; small in number (opposite of 整)

零 is not used as a component in any other character.

consists of

1.1 雨 yǔ — rain (water droplets falling from clouds)
雨 is a component in 14 characters
HSK 1
雪 xuě snow (white crystalline precipitation, typically hexagonal, formed when water vapor freezes below 0°C) 零 líng fragmentary; scattered; small in number (opposite of 整)
HSK 3
需 xū to need, to require
HSK 5
漏 lòu to drip, seep, or fall through a hole or crack 雾 wù fog; mist (tiny water droplets suspended near the ground when temperature drops) 震 zhèn to shake or vibrate violently
HSK 6
雷 léi thunder (the loud sound produced when two oppositely charged clouds discharge electricity) 露 lù dew; water droplets condensed on surfaces near the ground
HSK 7
雹 báo hail; balls or chunks of ice formed by condensation in the atmosphere, often falling with heavy rain, causing damage 霉 méi (of clothes, food, etc.) to become moldy from dampness and heat 霍 huò (lit.) suddenly; swiftly 霜 shuāng frost (white ice crystals formed on surfaces near the ground when temperature drops below 0°C) 霞 xiá rosy clouds; colorful glow in the sky at sunrise or sunset
Show more HSK 7 characters (+1)
霸 bà leader of a feudal alliance in ancient China
1.2 令 lìng — order; command (from superior to subordinate)
令 is a component in 11 characters
HSK 1
冷 lěng cold; low in temperature (opposite of 热) 零 líng fragmentary; scattered; small in number (opposite of 整)
HSK 3
邻 lín neighbor; neighboring household
HSK 4
命 mìng life; the living force of organisms 龄 líng age (in years)
HSK 5
铃 líng bell or buzzer (metal sound-making device) 领 lǐng neck; throat
HSK 6
怜 lián to pity, to sympathize
HSK 7
岭 lǐng mountain with a path over its summit 拎 līn to carry (something) in one's hand 聆 líng (lit.) to listen; to listen attentively

Stroke order