愣 (lèng) - Stunned, dumbfounded, blank & also means rash, reckless, or foolish.

愣Tone 4

lèng ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

愣 · lèng

Stunned, dumbfounded, blank;

also means rash, reckless, or foolish.

Stunned, dumbfounded, blankalso means rash, reckless, or foolish.

Usage highlights

StunnedDumbfoundedRash actionSimpleBlank expressionReckless courage

Synonyms

  • 呆— dull, blank, stupid
  • 傻— foolish, silly
  • 怔— stunned, in a daze

Antonyms

  • 精— sharp, clever, smart
  • 灵— quick, agile, clever
  • 敏— alert, quick-witted

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He stood there stunned (愣住).
  • Don't act rashly (别愣干).
  • She was dumbfounded by the news (愣住了).
  • He's a bit simple-minded (他有点愣).

Collocations

  • Stunned(愣住)
  • Dumbfounded(发愣)
  • Rash action(愣干)
  • Simple-minded person(愣子)
  • Blank expression(愣神)
  • Reckless courage(愣劲儿)

Idioms

  • Stunned and speechless(愣头愣脑)
  • Rash and impulsive(愣头青)
  • Dazed and confused(愣愣瞌瞌)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used to describe someone who acts without thinking, sometimes with a connotation of naive courage.
  • In northern Chinese dialects, '愣' can describe someone who is simple-minded or slow to react.
  • The character combines 'heart/mind' (忄) and 'net' (罒), suggesting a mind caught in a net, unable to think clearly.

FAQ