零

líng

令 + 雨

HSK 2.0Level 2

HSK 3.0Level 1

Definitions

líng (numeral) zero; nought

líng (noun) fragment; fraction; small

líng (noun) remainder (in division)

líng (verb) to wither and fall

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 雨 represents the meaning and 令 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "to fall (of rain/snow)". The meaning later shifted to "scattered", "fraction", and "zero".

Semantic: 雨 Phonetic: 令

About

零 is a phono-semantic compound: the upper part 雨 (rain) indicates the meaning, while the lower part 令 supplies the sound. Its earliest use referred simply to precipitation, rain or snow falling. From the image of discrete, separate drops, it acquired the extended senses "scattered" and "fraction". The conceptual leap from fractional parts to a complete absence of quantity led to its modern function as the number zero and an empty placeholder in numerical systems.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Clerical Jin dynasty (266-420 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

今天气温是零度。

Jīntiān qìwēn shì líng dù.

Today's temperature is zero degrees.

我口袋里有一些零钱。

Wǒ kǒudài lǐ yǒu yīxiē língqián.

I have some change in my pocket.

孩子们喜欢吃零食。

Háizimen xǐhuān chī língshí.

Children like to eat snacks.

比赛得分是二比零。

Bǐsài défēn shì èr bǐ líng.

The game score is two to zero.

他从零开始学英语。

Tā cóng líng kāishǐ xué Yīngyǔ.

He started learning English from scratch.

这些零散的零件需要组装。

Zhèxiē língsǎn de língjiàn xūyào zǔzhuāng.

These scattered parts need to be assembled.

在数学中，零是一个重要的数字。

Zài shùxué zhōng, líng shì yīgè zhòngyào de shùzì.

In mathematics, zero is an important number.

由于设备故障，产量几乎降为零。

Yóuyú shèbèi gùzhàng, chǎnliàng jīhū jiàng wéi líng.

Due to equipment failure, the output almost dropped to zero.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 令

Component: 雨

零