嶙 (lín) - Jagged, craggy, rugged — describes steep, uneven mountain & also used metaphorically for difficult circumstances or bony

嶙Tone 2

lín ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

林伦

嶙 · lín

Jagged, craggy, rugged — describes steep, uneven mountain terrain;

also used metaphorically for difficult circumstances or bony appearance.

Jagged, craggy, rugged — describes steep, uneven mountainalso used metaphorically for difficult circumstances or bony

Usage highlights

Jagged rocksCraggy peaksBony appearanceRugged mountainsSteep cliffsUneven terrain

Synonyms

  • 峋— jagged, rugged (often paired with 嶙)
  • 崎— rugged, uneven
  • 峻— steep, lofty

Antonyms

  • 平— flat, even
  • 坦— smooth, level

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The mountain path was rugged and steep (山路嶙峋).
  • His face showed bony prominence (瘦骨嶙峋).
  • The rocky cliffs appeared jagged (嶙峋的岩石).
  • We traversed the rugged mountain range (穿越嶙峋的山脉).

Collocations

  • Jagged rocks(嶙石)
  • Craggy peaks(嶙峰)
  • Bony appearance(嶙骨)
  • Rugged mountains(嶙山)
  • Steep cliffs(嶙崖)
  • Uneven terrain(嶙地)

Idioms

  • Bony and emaciated(瘦骨嶙峋)
  • Jagged rocks and steep cliffs(嶙岩峭壁)
  • Craggy and rugged mountains(山势嶙峋)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often appears in classical Chinese poetry and landscape descriptions to convey majestic, imposing natural scenery.
  • Used in traditional Chinese painting terminology to describe textured, rocky mountain surfaces.
  • Can carry metaphorical meaning of hardship or resilience when describing life's challenges.

FAQ