How to Write 吝 (lìn) — Meaning “stingy / miserly”

Imagine a person with a mouth (口) who is so stingy they only speak in elegant, patterned words (文) to avoid giving anything away. Or think: a 'literate mouth' that is too tight to share, like a miser counting every word.

Write the top part 文 first: dot, horizontal, left-slanting stroke, right-curving stroke, then the bottom 口 as a box (vertical, horizontal, vertical, horizontal). Keep the 口 narrow and centered under the 文, making the character about equally tall and wide. A common mistake is making the 口 too wide or misaligning the top strokes.

吝 (lìn) means 'stingy' and has 文 on top of 口. 卟 (bǔ) is rare and means 'to divine' or 'to consult spirits,' with 卜 on top of 口. 古 (gǔ) means 'ancient' and has 十 on top of 口. Visually, the top part is different: 文 vs 卜 vs 十, and their meanings are unrelated.

吝 appears in words like 吝啬 (lìn sè, 'stingy') and 吝惜 (lìn xī, 'to begrudge'). It is a negative trait in Chinese culture, as generosity (慷慨, kāng kǎi) is highly valued. You might use 吝 in critiques of someone who is unwilling to share money or effort. The phrase 不吝赐教 (bù lìn cì jiào, 'please do not hesitate to give advice') is a polite, humble request used in formal contexts.

Common words containing 吝 include: 吝啬 (lìn sè) — stingy / mean / miserly; 吝惜 (lìn xī) — to grudge / to stint / to be sparing of; 不吝 (bù lìn) — not stingy; to not hesitate (to give or share).