How to Write 棱 (léng) — Meaning “Edge or ridge”

Imagine a wooden block (木) that has been cut so it has sharp edges (棱角). Think of the right side 夌 as two crossed lines on top of each other—like the corner of a box. Visualize that corner as a "ridge" that sticks out, helping you recall the meaning.

Write the left radical 木 first: horizontal stroke, vertical stroke, then left-falling slash and right-falling dot. Then write the right part 夌: start with the top 'soil' component (two horizontal strokes and a vertical hook), then two dots, and finally the bottom '夂' (two strokes). Keep the left side slightly narrower and the right side wider to balance the character.

柴 (chái, firewood) also has the wood radical, but its right side is 此 (this), giving it a meaning related to wood for burning. 栓 (shuān, bolt or stopper) has the wood radical with 全 (complete), meaning a wooden peg that secures something. In contrast, 棱 specifically refers to a sharp edge or ridge, not wood as a material or a fastening tool.

棱 appears in words like 棱角 (léngjiǎo, edges and corners, also used metaphorically for someone's sharp personality) and 棱镜 (léngjìng, prism, a scientific term). The idiom 模棱两可 (mó léng liǎng kě) means ambiguous or evasive, originating from a Tang-dynasty official who was nicknamed 'Prime Minister Mó Léng' for his indecisive answers—a cultural reference highlighting a smooth, non-committal attitude.

Common words containing 棱 include: 棱角 (léng jiǎo) — Edges and corners; 棱镜 (léng jìng) — Prism; 模棱两可 (mó léng liǎng kě) — ambiguous; equivocal.