Chinese Character: 凉
1. Character Basics
Radical: 冫 (bīng, ice radical)
Stroke Count: 10
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: liáng (Second tone)
3. Meaning
Cool; cold; chilly; cool down; calm down; coolness; coldness; chilly feeling
4. Common Words
- 凉快 (liángkuai) - cool; nice and cool
- 凉爽 (liángshuǎng) - cool and refreshing
- 凉拌 (liángbàn) - cold dish; served cold
- 凉茶 (liángchá) - herbal tea; cooling tea
- 凉意 (liángyì) - cool feeling; chilliness
- 清凉 (qīngliáng) - cool; refreshingly cool
- 凉席 (liángxí) - summer sleeping mat; cool mat
- 凉台 (liángtái) - balcony; veranda
5. Grammar & Usage
"凉" is an adjective that describes something as cool, cold, or chilly.
Grammar Patterns:
- 凉 + 形容词: 凉快 (cool), 凉爽 (cool and refreshing)
- 副 + 凉: 很凉 (very cool), 有点凉 (a bit cool)
- 凉 + 下来: 凉下来 (cool down)
- 名 + 是 + 凉的: 水是凉的 (the water is cool)
- 使 + 名 + 凉: 使房间凉下来 (cool down the room)
6. Cultural Background
The character "凉" has cultural significance in Chinese daily life, especially in relation to food, drink, and climate.
In traditional Chinese medicine, "凉" is associated with the concept of "coldness" in the body's balance. Cooling foods and drinks are believed to help reduce excess heat in the body.
During the hot summer months, various cooling foods and beverages like "凉茶" (herbal tea) and "凉拌菜" (cold dishes) are popular in Chinese cuisine to help people stay cool.
The character also appears in idioms such as "心凉了半截" (xīn liáng le bàn jié), which means "one's heart cooled by half" (becoming disheartened or losing hope).
7. Example Sentence
中文: 秋天的风很凉爽，让人感觉很舒服。
Pinyin: Qiūtiān de fēng hěn liángshuǎng, ràng rén gǎnjué hěn shūfu.
English: The autumn wind is cool and refreshing, making people feel very comfortable.
8. Memory Tips
The character "凉" (liáng) consists of the radical "冫" (ice radical) and the character "京" (jīng, capital).
To remember this character, think of it as "cold capital" or "cool place," associating the ice radical with coldness.
Practice writing the character following the stroke order to help with memorization.
Associate the character with common words like "凉快" (cool) and "凉爽" (cool and refreshing) to reinforce its meaning.
Listen to and practice the pronunciation "liáng" to become familiar with its sound.