钟 zhōng — clock; time as measured in hours and minutes; bell
墙上的钟已经指向十二点。Qiáng shàng de zhōng yǐ jīng zhǐ xiàng shí èr diǎn.The clock on the wall already points to twelve.
Common words: 分钟 (fēn zhōng)、闹钟 (nào zhōng)、钟头 (zhōng tóu)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "bell"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "bell", including 钟 (zhōng), 铃 (líng). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "bell" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 钟 (zhōng), 铃 (líng) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span zhōng, líng — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 钟 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 钟 zhōngclock; time as measured in hours and minutes; bellUseful words: 分钟, 闹钟
- 铃 líng(small) bellUseful words: 铃声, 门铃
Common words for these 2 "bell" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 钟 (zhōng) — so "bell" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "bell".
铃 líng — (small) bell
上课铃一响，同学们就回到了座位上。Shàng kè líng yì xiǎng, tóng xué men jiù huí dào le zuò wèi shàng.As soon as the class bell rang, the students returned to their seats.
Common words: 铃声 (líng shēng)、门铃 (mén líng)、杠铃 (gàng líng)
All 2 characters
Open 钟、铃 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.