岭 (lǐng) is a Chinese character meaning “mountain ridge”. It is written from 山 (mountain) and 令 (to order; a command), side by side, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “mountain ridge”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
山 + 令
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分（IDS ⿰山令，已对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：左「山」3 笔 + 右「令」5 笔 = 8 笔）；读音比对 令 lìng → 岭 lǐng；非字源解释
Memory aid
A mountain (山) on the left takes its orders (令) from the right: this is the ridge line, the crest that tells you where one mountain ends. Both parts really are in this character.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 山岭shān lǐngmountain ridge; mountain range岭 = lǐng
- 分水岭fēn shuǐ lǐngwatershed; a dividing line between two stages or outcomes岭 = lǐng
Go deeper
All readings
mountain ridge
mountain ridge; the crest of a mountain range; a mountain pass
顶上有路可通行的山；连绵的山脉山脊。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 山岭shān lǐngmountain ridge; mountain range岭 = lǐng
- 分水岭fēn shuǐ lǐngwatershed; a dividing line between two stages or outcomes岭 = lǐng
Sound component
令 family tone diff
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 岭 mean?
岭 (lǐng) means mountain ridge; the crest of a mountain range; a mountain pass.
How do you pronounce 岭?
It is pronounced lǐng.
What parts is 岭 made of?
山 (mountain) and 令 (to order; a command), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分（IDS ⿰山令，已对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：左「山」3 笔 + 右「令」5 笔 = 8 笔）；读音比对 令 lìng → 岭 lǐng；非字源解释. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 岭 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 岭?
山. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 岭?
Common ones are 山岭 and 分水岭. The reading of 岭 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.