lín / lìn
verb HSK 7-9 #7,021

Meanings

  1. 1 to drench
  2. 2 to pour
  3. 3 to drizzle (on)

Examples

HSK 4
Tā bèi yǔ lín shī le.
He got drenched by the rain.
HSK 6
Zài dàngāo shàng lín yìxiē qiǎokèlì jiàng.
Drizzle some chocolate sauce on the cake.

Tips

usage
The lín reading is 'to pour or drench': 淋雨 (to get caught in the rain), 淋浴 (to take a shower). A separate reading lìn appears in medical terms, most notably 淋病 (gonorrhea).

Components

radical
shuǐ
water (radical)
Three-drop water radical on the left, the side-stacking form of . Marks the character as a liquid-pouring action: drenching, drizzling, pouring water down. Family of pour-related verbs: (sprinkle), (splash), (drip), (scatter).
phonetic
lín
forest; grove
Right (two trees = grove) supplies the sound lín exactly. The image is also evocative: water raining down through a forest canopy, drops falling steadily, a useful mnemonic for 'drench, drizzle'. Same phonetic family: (fine jade), (approach), (downpour).

Stroke Order

lín