Meaning
make or cause to be; order; command; decree; honorable
Chinese: 命令、使得；也作敬辞。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “ling” becomes a different word in each tone. 令 is the 4th tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 命令mìng lìngorder; command
- 指令zhǐ lìngto order; to command; an order; a command
- 司令sī lìngcommanding officer
- 夏令营xià lìng yíngsummer camp
- 下令xià lìngto give an order; to issue an order
Example Sentence
将军下令军队前进。Jiāng jūn xià lìng jūn duì qián jìn.The general ordered the troops to advance.
将军Jiāng jūn(common place name)下令xià lìngto give an order军队jūn duìarmed forces前进qián jìnto go forward。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
A gathering (亼) over a kneeling person (卩): an order issued from above — ‘an order, command; to make/cause; a season (时令); good, your (honorific: 令尊); a ream of paper’ (命令, 令人, 司令).
A way to remember it
An order from above — a command; to make/cause (令人).