lin4漣涟

Jyutpinglin4

Yalelìhn

Definition

Ripple, or flowing continuously.

literaryripple on a water surface
literaryflowing continuously (of water or tears)

writtennature

How it's used

漣 is almost exclusively used in the compound 漣漪 to describe the circular waves on water. It is a literary term that carries a poetic or descriptive tone, often found in written prose or formal speech rather than casual conversation. Using it outside of this specific collocation sounds highly unnatural or overly dramatic.

Examples

wu4湖min6面faan6泛hei2起zo2咗zan6陣zan6陣lin4漣ji2漪。

Ripples appeared on the surface of the lake.

nei5你gin3見m4唔gin3見dou3到seoi2水min2面jau5有lin4漣ji2漪aa4呀？

Do you see the ripples on the water surface?

Common phrases

lin4漣ji2漪

ripples

Common mistake

Learners often mistake it for a common verb, but it is a bound morpheme that rarely functions independently in modern Cantonese. Avoid trying to use it as a standalone word for general movement or flow.