How to Write 珑 (lóng) — Meaning “Tinkling of jade; exquisite”

Imagine a jade carving of a dragon (龙) — the jade is so fine it makes a tinkling sound when touched. The left radical 王 reminds you it's jade, and the dragon on the right represents the 'exquisite' quality.

The left radical 王 must be written with three horizontal strokes and a vertical stroke, but the bottom horizontal is longer than the others. On the right side, 龙 has a curving stroke that should not touch the left component; keep a small gap between the two parts.

珑 (lóng) specifically describes the tinkling sound of jade or an exquisite quality, while 玓 (dì) refers to the sparkle of jade. 玖 (jiǔ) is primarily used as the numeral nine in financial contexts to prevent forgery. Visually, 珑 has the dragon component on the right, while 玓 uses 勺 and 玖 uses 久.

珑 is rarely used alone—it appears mainly in the compound word 玲珑 (línglóng), meaning 'exquisite' or 'clever,' often describing delicate craftsmanship or a quick-witted person. The idiom 玲珑剔透 (línglóng tī tòu) describes something crystal clear and finely carved, like an art piece or a transparent gem.

Common words containing 珑 include: 玲珑 (líng lóng) — exquisite / clever; 珑玲 (lóng líng) — Exquisite; the tinkling sound of jade; 玲珑剔透 (líng lóng tī tòu) — exquisitely carved / crystal clear.