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冷
lěng
cold
今天天气很冷。
The weather is very cold today.
general
having a low temperature; not warm or hot
水太冷了，不能喝。
The water is too cold to drink.
外面很冷，多穿点衣服。
It's cold outside, put on more clothes.
Can describe weather, objects, or feelings (e.g., 'cold hands').
general
unfriendly or lacking warmth in manner
她的态度很冷。
Her attitude is cold.
他对陌生人总是很冷淡。
He is always cold toward strangers.
Often paired with 静 (calm) to form 冷静 (calm and composed).
general
to cool or refrigerate
把饮料冷一下再喝。
Chill the drink before drinking it.
Common in cooking or food preparation contexts.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguish 冷 and 凉
冷 emphasizes low temperature (e.g., cold weather), while 凉 suggests a mild, refreshing coolness (e.g., cool breeze).
Gold Rule
Cold vs. Cool
In English, 'cold' is stronger than 'cool'. Use 冷 for stronger coldness; 凉 for milder coolness.
Word Origin
From Old Chinese *rɯŋʔ (寒冷), cognate with Tibetan གྲང (grang, 'cold').
Usage Notes
冷 is more commonly used for temperature, while 凉 (liáng) implies mild coolness. 冷 can also describe emotional detachment.
Word Breakdown
冫 (ice radical)
associated with coldness or water
radical令 (order/command)
phonetic component
phonetic汉英词典