How to Write 凛 (lǐn) — Meaning “cold; stern; awe-inspiring”

This visual combines cold and a stern posture, making it easier to recall both meanings.

Write the left radical 冫 first with two dots, then the right part 禀 starting from the top horizontal stroke. Keep the left side small and compact, while the right side is tall and balanced. Common mistakes include making the left side too large or misplacing the two dots.

凛 (lǐn) means 'cold' or 'stern', while 凝 (níng) means 'to congeal' or 'to coagulate', like liquid turning solid. Visually, 凛 has 禀 on the right, whereas 凝 has 疑 on the right; they share the ice radical but have completely different meanings and usages.

凛 appears in literary and formal contexts, such as 凛冽 (piercingly cold) for severe winter weather and 威风凛凛 (majestic) to describe a heroic or commanding presence. It is not in the HSK list, so it is more common in advanced reading, idioms, and classical-style writing.

Common words containing 凛 include: 凛冽 (lǐn liè) — piercingly cold; 威风凛凛 (wēi fēng lǐn lǐn) — majestic; 凛然 (lǐn rán) — awe-inspiring; stern.