The character 临 — “approach”: how to write it and what it means
approach, arrive
The Chinese character 临 is read lín and means “approach, arrive”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.
Stroke order: how to write 临
临 has 9 strokes. At each step the new stroke is highlighted — write them in the same order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical, a frame before what is inside it, and the bottom stroke of the frame last.
To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for 临, with strokes to trace and empty squares.
What 临 is made of
光临 — “to honor with a visit”, 面临 — “to face something”.
The parts of a character hint at its meaning or its reading — more in the article “Chinese character radicals”.
Words with 临
- 光临visit (polite)HSK 5
- 临时temporary; at the last momentHSK 5
- 面临face, be confronted withHSK 5
- 来临arrive, approach (of an event)HSK 6
Frequently asked questions
How do you write the character 临?
临 has 9 strokes. They follow the usual rules: top to bottom, left to right, horizontal before vertical, outside before inside. The order of each stroke is shown on this page.
What does 临 mean?
临 means “approach, arrive”. It appears in 光临 (“visit”), 临时 (“temporary”), 面临 (“face”), 来临 (“arrive”).
How do you pronounce 临?
临 is read lín. The tone is part of the reading: with another melody it becomes another syllable.
How many strokes does 临 have?
9 strokes.
More characters on the page “Chinese characters with meanings” and in the list of HSK characters by level; whole words are in the dictionary.
Write 临 yourself
In the lessons you write characters stroke by stroke with a finger or a mouse, and the course checks the order. You can start for free, no sign-up needed.
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