聆 (líng) is a Chinese character meaning “to listen (formal)”. It is written from 耳 (ear) and 令 (to order; a command), side by side, and takes 11 strokes.
Build the character for “to listen (formal)”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
耳 + 令
Left–right structure
Structure from: 说文解字（聆，聽也。从耳令聲）
Memory aid
An ear (耳) on the left, and 令 on the right giving the sound líng. When an order (令) is spoken, you turn your ear to it and listen closely.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
11 strokes
In real words
- 聆听líng tīngto listen attentively (formal)聆 = líng
Go deeper
All readings
to listen
to listen (formal); mainly used in 聆听 "to listen attentively"
听（书面语）；多用于「聆听」。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 聆听líng tīngto listen attentively (formal)聆 = líng
Sound component
令 family tone diff
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 聆 mean?
聆 (líng) means to listen (formal); mainly used in 聆听 "to listen attentively".
How do you pronounce 聆?
It is pronounced líng.
What parts is 聆 made of?
耳 (ear) and 令 (to order; a command), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字（聆，聽也。从耳令聲）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 聆 have?
11. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 聆?
耳. 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 聆?
Common ones are 聆听. The reading of 聆 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.