羚

líng
令 + 羊

Definitions

líng antelope

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 羊 represents the meaning and 令 represents the sound.

Semantic: 羊 Phonetic: 令

About

羚 is a phonosemantic compound: the left side 羊 (sheep/goat) marks it as a hoofed mammal, specifically a ruminant. The right side is 令, a character that usually means 'order' or 'command', but here it serves only to hint at the pronunciation. The character denotes antelopes, gazelles, and similar horned mammals, and it almost always appears in the compound 羚羊, meaning 'antelope'. This grouping under the sheep radical reflects how traditional Chinese classification placed wild horned and hoofed creatures alongside domesticated sheep and goats, based on visual and behavioral resemblances.

Example Sentences Hide

羚羊在草原上奔跑。

Língyáng zài cǎoyuán shàng bēnpǎo.

The antelope is running on the grassland.

我看到了一只漂亮的羚羊。

Wǒ kàn dào le yī zhī piàoliang de língyáng.

I saw a beautiful antelope.

藏羚羊是受保护的动物。

Zànglíngyáng shì shòu bǎohù de dòngwù.

The Tibetan antelope is a protected animal.

那只羚羊的角非常锋利。

Nà zhī língyáng de jiǎo fēicháng fēnglì.

That antelope's horns are very sharp.

猎豹的速度比羚羊更快。

Lièbào de sùdù bǐ língyáng gèng kuài.

The cheetah's speed is faster than the antelope's.

羚羊群敏捷地越过了山谷。

Língyáng qún mǐnjié de yuèguòle shāngǔ.

The herd of antelopes agilely crossed the valley.

这种羚羊皮毛的纹理很独特。

Zhè zhǒng língyáng pímáo de wénlǐ hěn dútè.

The grain of this type of antelope fur is very unique.

研究羚羊的迁徙路线很重要。

Yánjiū língyáng de qiānxǐ lùxiàn hěn zhòngyào.

It is important to study the migration routes of antelopes.

Related Characters

Component: 令

领 冷 零 龄 怜 邻 玲 铃 岭 伶 拎 翎 聆 苓

Component: 羊

着 样 群 差 善 洋 鲜 详 祥 氧 羞 翔 痒 佯

Example Words

羚羊 瞪羚 斑羚