零 Stroke Order — How to Write 零
零 is written in 13 strokes, following the standard Chinese stroke order. Start from the radical 雨, then complete the remaining strokes.
Stroke order matters in Chinese: it keeps the character balanced, and it is how dictionaries and handwriting input methods expect a character to be written.
零 Radical and Character Components
零 is a phono-semantic compound: 雨 (raindrop) carries the meaning, while 令 indicates the sound.
Radical: 雨 + 5 more strokes
零 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- líng
Meanings of 零 in Chinese
1
líng零
To fall (referring to liquid, especially tears), often used in the context of deep gratitude or emotion, as in 'gǎnjī tìlíng' (to be moved to tears of gratitude).
她感动得涕泪俱零，说不出话来
She was so moved that tears streamed down, and she couldn't utter a word.
Refers to plants withering, falling, or scattering, like leaves falling from trees.
秋风过境，树叶零落一地
As the autumn wind swept through, leaves scattered all over the ground.
A fractional or remaining amount; a small odd amount.
我这儿只有一百块，你有零钱找吗？
I only have a 100-kuai note here. Do you have any small change?
Refers to small amounts, fragments, or items that are not whole or complete, often contrasting with "整" (whole); commonly used for small change, odd jobs, or retail.
我这里只有一些零钱，够买一杯咖啡吗？
I only have some loose change here; is it enough to buy a cup of coffee?
Zero; the number 0; a base point for measurement, e.g., 0 degrees Celsius.
今天的气温是零摄氏度。
Today's temperature is zero degrees Celsius.
Common Words and Phrases with 零
1
To do things in a scattered, intermittent, or piecemeal way; to adopt a piecemeal approach.
他总是零打碎敲地学习，所以知识掌握得不牢固。
He always studies in a piecemeal fashion, so his knowledge is not firmly grasped.
2
A railway freight car used for direct delivery of less-than-carload (LCL) freight.
为了提高运输效率，物流公司引入了多辆零担车，专门负责将小批量货物快速送达客户。
To improve transportation efficiency, the logistics company introduced several less-than-carload (LCL) freight cars, specifically for rapidly delivering small batch goods to customers.
3
Zero, nought; meaning nothing, often used in the context of scores or results. The term comes from the resemblance of the numeral 0 to an egg.
他这次数学小测验考了零蛋。
He got a big zero on this math quiz.
4
5
alone and helpless; isolated and vulnerable
他一个人在异乡零丁地生活着
He lives a solitary and frail life alone in a foreign land.
6
7
A casual or part-time worker who does odd jobs.
他平时做些零工来补贴家用
He often takes on gig work to help support his family.
8
odd jobs or casual labor, typically paid by the piece.
她通过做一些零活来补贴家用。
She supplements her family income by doing some odd jobs.
9
Zero level; a reference level used to compare the intensity of sound or signals, often 1 milliwatt in audio circuits or the hearing threshold in acoustics.
在调试音响设备时，工程师将输出功率调整到零级，以确保测量结果的准确性
When debugging audio equipment, the engineer adjusted the output power to zero level to ensure the accuracy of the measurement results.
10
a component or part of a machine
这家工厂生产各种精密的机器零件。
This factory produces various precision machine parts.
11
scattered; sparse
演出开始前，观众零零散散地坐在座位上。
Before the performance began, the audience was sparsely seated.
12
Scattered, withered, or in decline.
旧书桌上，笔墨纸砚零落摆放，似乎很久没人整理了
On the old desk, pens, ink, paper, and inkstones were scattered about, as if no one had tidied them for a long time.
13
To be buried on a hill after death, often implying sorrow over someone's passing.
经过多年的风雨侵蚀，这座古老的村庄如今已是零落山丘，往日的喧嚣早已归于沉寂。
After years of erosion by wind and rain, this ancient village has become a desolate landscape of scattered mounds, its former bustle long faded into silence.
14
To sell goods directly to consumers, often in small quantities; retail.
这家小店只做零卖，不批发。
This small shop only does retail, not wholesale.
More words with 零
- diāo凋líng零wither, fade
- piāo飘líng零drift, wander
- shí拾líng零pick up scraps, miscellany
- tì涕líng零to shed tears; tears streaming down
- dīng丁líng零ding-a-ling, jingle
- mì幂líng零nilpotent
- diāo雕líng零withered; to wither and fall
- jī畸líng零Odd-shaped, Residual
- líng零qián钱small change, loose change
- líng零shí食snack, treat
- dīng丁líng零dāng当lāng啷Jingle, Clang
- líng零huā花qián钱Pocket money, Spending money
- líng零sǎn散scattered, sporadic
- líng零shòu售shāng商retailer, dealer
- zhǎo找líng零to give change, change
- líng零bù部jiàn件parts, components
- líng零róng容rěn忍zero tolerance
- líng零shòu售yè业retail industry, retail business
- dǎ打líng零gōng工do odd jobs, work part-time
- gū孤líng零líng零Lonely, Isolated
Idioms with 零
- líng零líng零suì碎suì碎in small, scattered pieces
- líng零líng零xīng星xīng星scattered and sporadic
- líng零qī七bā八suì碎scattered and disorganized
- líng零qī七suì碎bā八odds and ends
- líng零qiāo敲suì碎dǎ打do things piecemeal
- líng零suì碎bù不quán全fragmented and incomplete
- dōng东líng零xī西suì碎scattered and fragmented
- fēng风yǔ雨piāo飘líng零precarious and declining
- gǎn感jī激tì涕líng零shed tears of deep gratitude
- gū孤gū孤líng零líng零Isolated and solitary
- hú湖hǎi海piāo飘líng零to wander aimlessly across the world
- huà化líng零wéi为zhěng整integrate scattered parts into a whole
Questions about 零
- What does 零 mean in Chinese?
- 零 (líng) means “To fall (referring to liquid” in Chinese.
- How do you pronounce 零?
- 零 is pronounced líng in Mandarin Chinese.
- How many strokes does 零 have?
- 零 has 13 strokes.
- How do you write 零?
- 零 is written in 13 strokes, starting from the radical 雨. See the animated stroke order on this page.
- What is the radical of 零?
- The radical of 零 is 雨, and 零 is a phono-semantic compound.