lěng: 冷 - Cold, Cool, Unpopular, Indifferent

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Summary: Discover the comprehensive meaning of the Chinese word 冷 (lěng). This essential HSK 1 character means “cold” but extends far beyond temperature to describe personalities (indifferent), situations (unpopular, deserted), and even bad jokes. Learn how 冷 (lěng) is a cornerstone of Traditional Chinese Medicine and how to distinguish it from its close relative, 凉 (liáng) (cool), to speak more natural Mandarin.

Pinyin (with tone marks): lěng

Part of Speech: Adjective, Verb

HSK Level: 1

Concise Definition: Pertaining to low temperature; or a state of being indifferent, deserted, or unpopular.

In a Nutshell: 冷 (lěng) is the fundamental Chinese word for “cold.” It's what you use to describe a freezing winter day, a glass of ice water, or the feeling of being chilly. However, its meaning beautifully extends into the metaphorical. A person can be “cold” (冷漠, lěngmò), meaning aloof or indifferent. A place can be “cold and quiet” (冷清, lěngqīng), meaning deserted. An academic major can be “cold door” (冷门, lěngmén), meaning unpopular. Understanding 冷 is key to grasping how Chinese links physical sensations to social and emotional states.

By combining the “ice” radical for meaning and the `lìng` component for sound, the character 冷 vividly represents the concept of “cold.”

In Chinese culture, the balance between 冷 (lěng) and 热 (rè) (hot) is a fundamental concept, especially in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Foods are classified as having “cooling” (冷/凉) or “heating” (热) properties that affect the body's qi (气), or life energy. For example, watermelon and cucumber are considered “cooling” foods, ideal for summer but potentially bad for someone with a “cold” constitution or illness.

This contrasts with the Western view, where “cold” food simply refers to its temperature. In China, a food's intrinsic energetic property is just as important. A person suffering from a common cold (感冒, gǎnmào), which is often seen as an invasion of “cold evil,” would be advised to avoid 冷 foods and consume “heating” foods like ginger tea to restore balance.

Metaphorically, this extends to social atmosphere. The ideal social gathering is 热闹 (rènao)—hot and noisy, meaning lively and bustling. The opposite, 冷清 (lěngqīng)—cold and clear—describes a deserted, lonely, or bleak atmosphere, which is generally undesirable. This reflects a cultural preference for communal vibrancy over quiet solitude in many social contexts.

凉 (liáng) - Cool. The milder, often more pleasant, counterpart to 冷.

热 (rè) - Hot. The direct antonym of 冷 in all its meanings: temperature, personality (warm/enthusiastic), and situations (popular/lively).

冰 (bīng) - Ice. The solid form of water, representing the extreme of 冷.

感冒 (gǎnmào) - The common cold (illness). A concept related to the sensation of being cold, but a distinct vocabulary word.

冷静 (lěngjìng) - Calm, cool-headed. A positive trait where “coldness” is used to control “hot” emotions.

冷漠 (lěngmò) - Indifferent, apathetic. A negative personality trait describing emotional coldness.

冷清 (lěngqīng) - Deserted, desolate. Describes a “cold” and cheerless atmosphere.

冷门 (lěngmén) - An unpopular field or an unexpected outcome (literally “cold door”).

冷战 (lěngzhàn) - Cold War; the silent treatment.

冷笑话 (lěngxiàohuà) - A dad joke, a lame pun, a “cold joke.”