How to Write 愣 (lèng) — Meaning “Stupefied; dazed; blunt.”

Picture your heart (忄) being trapped inside a net (罒) inside a square (方); you cannot think clearly and just stare blankly. This image helps you remember that 愣 means a dazed, stunned state.

Write the left radical 忄 first: two dots from top to bottom then a vertical line. Then write the right side: the top part 罒 (four strokes: vertical, horizontal folding, vertical, horizontal) and finally 方 (four strokes: dot, horizontal, horizontal hook, horizontal or vertical). A common mistake is making the 罒 too wide or the 方 too small — keep the right side balanced.

悃 (kǔn) means sincere or honest, and its right side is 困 (kùn, trapped), while 悄 (qiǎo) means quiet or stealthy, with a right side 肖 (xiào, resembling). 愣 is visually distinct because its right side has 罒 over 方, and its meaning centers on being dazed rather than sincerity or quietness.

愣 is used to describe a temporary state of shock or blankness, like when someone suddenly gets surprised and can’t react. Common phrases include 愣住 (to be stunned), 发愣 (to stare blankly), and 愣神 (to be in a daze). It appears often in everyday conversation and storytelling to show a character’s frozen reaction.

Common words containing 愣 include: 愣住 (lèng zhù) — To be stunned; to be dazed.; 发愣 (fā lèng) — To stare blankly; to be dazed; 愣神 (lèng shén) — To stare blankly; to be in a daze..