Chinese Character: 淋
1. Character Basics
Radical: 氵 (shuǐ, water radical)
Stroke Count: 11
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: lín (Second tone)
3. Meaning
To pour; drench; sprinkle; wet; soak; rinse; shower; douse; saturate; moisten; spatter; splash; cover with liquid
4. Common Words
- 淋雨 (lín yǔ) - be caught in the rain
- 淋浴 (lín yù) - shower
- 淋湿 (lín shī) - get wet; be soaked
- 淋水 (lín shuǐ) - pour water; water
- 淋洗 (lín xǐ) - rinse; drench
- 淋透 (lín tòu) - soak through
- 淋漓 (lín lí) - dripping wet; copious
- 喷淋 (pēn lín) - spray; sprinkle
5. Grammar & Usage
"淋" is primarily used as a verb meaning "to pour liquid over something" or "to get wet from liquid".
Common structures include "淋+名词" (pour liquid over + noun), "被+淋+得+补语" (be + poured over + so + complement), and "淋+在/到+宾语" (pour over + preposition + object).
When combined with "浴" (yù, bath), it forms "淋浴" (shower), which is commonly used in daily conversation.
6. Cultural Background
The character "淋" has a strong connection to water, reflecting the importance of water in Chinese culture and daily life. The water radical (氵) on the left side clearly indicates its association with liquid.
In traditional Chinese medicine, "淋证" (lín zhèng) refers to urinary tract disorders, showing how the character has been integrated into medical terminology.
The concept of "淋漓尽致" (lín lí jìn zhì) is a common idiom meaning "to the fullest extent" or "in great detail", demonstrating how the character has evolved beyond its literal meaning to convey more abstract ideas.
7. Example Sentence
Chinese: 出门时忘记带伞，结果被雨淋了个透。
Pinyin: Chūmén shí wàngjì dài sǎn, jiéguǒ bèi yǔ línle gè tòu.
English: I forgot to bring an umbrella when I went out, and as a result, I got completely soaked in the rain.
8. Memory Tips
The character "淋" is composed of the water radical (氵) on the left and "林" (lín, forest) on the right.
You can remember it as "water falling on the forest", which connects to the meaning of pouring or sprinkling water, or being caught in the rain.
Visualize rain falling on trees in a forest, and this will help you recall both the character's structure and its meaning.