凉

涼

liáng, liàng

京 + 冫

HSK 3.0Level 4

Definitions

liáng (adjective) cool; cold

liàng (verb) to let something cool down

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 冫 is a simplification of 氵 (water), based on the original meaning "light alcohol, dilute wine". 京 represents the sound. Simplified form of 涼.

Semantic: 冫 Phonetic: 京

About

凉 is the simplified form of 涼, a phono-semantic compound combining the water radical 氵 with the phonetic 京. Originally, it referred to a light, dilute alcoholic drink. In simplification, the water radical was written as 冫, a cursive shorthand for 氵, not a switch to the ice radical. Over time, the meaning shifted to coolness, chilly weather, and later broadened figuratively to discouragement, disappointment, or a lack of enthusiasm and warmth.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

今天天气很凉。

Jīntiān tiānqì hěn liáng.

Today the weather is cool.

我喝了一杯凉水。

Wǒ hēle yī bēi liángshuǐ.

I drank a glass of cool water.

晚上的风有点凉。

Wǎnshàng de fēng yǒudiǎn liáng.

The wind at night is a bit cool.

这里夏天很凉快。

Zhèlǐ xiàtiān hěn liángkuài.

It is very cool here in summer.

他的态度让我心凉。

Tā de tàidù ràng wǒ xīn liáng.

His attitude made me feel disappointed.

虽然外面很热，但屋里很凉。

Suīrán wàimiàn hěn rè, dàn wū lǐ hěn liáng.

Although it is hot outside, it is cool inside the room.

因为空调开得太低，所以感觉有点凉。

Yīnwèi kōngtiáo kāi de tài dī, suǒyǐ gǎnjué yǒudiǎn liáng.

Because the air conditioner is set too low, I feel a bit cold.

秋雨过后，空气中弥漫着凉意。

Qiūyǔ guòhòu, kōngqì zhōng mímànzhe liángyì.

After the autumn rain, the air is filled with a cool sensation.

Related Characters

Component: 京

Component: 冫

凉