拎 (līn) is a Chinese character meaning “to carry something hanging from the hand”. It is written from 扌 (hand (radical form)) and 令 (to order; a command), side by side, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “to carry in the hand”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
扌 + 令
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分，经 hanzi-writer-data 笔画数据核验（扌3画 + 令5画 = 8画）
Memory aid
A hand (扌) takes an order (令): grab the bag by its handle and carry it.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 拎包līn bāoto carry a bag in one's hand; to tote a bag拎 = līn
- 拎起līn qǐto lift up by hand; to pick up (by a handle)拎 = līn
Go deeper
All readings
to carry in the hand
to carry something hanging from the hand; to lift and carry by a handle
用手提着东西；把东西提起来带走。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 拎包līn bāoto carry a bag in one's hand; to tote a bag拎 = līn
- 拎起līn qǐto lift up by hand; to pick up (by a handle)拎 = līn
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 拎 mean?
拎 (līn) means to carry something hanging from the hand; to lift and carry by a handle.
How do you pronounce 拎?
It is pronounced līn.
What parts is 拎 made of?
扌 (hand (radical form)) and 令 (to order; a command), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分，经 hanzi-writer-data 笔画数据核验（扌3画 + 令5画 = 8画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 拎 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 拎?
扌. 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 拎?
Common ones are 拎包 and 拎起. The reading of 拎 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.