Chinese name character
Chinese name character 林
lín
The character 林 (Mandarin lín) appears in 3 names and 3 syllables in this reference and is spelled Lin, Lim and Lum in Malaysia. Recorded meanings include “forest; grove; woods”.
- Names and syllables
- 6
- Malaysian spellings
- 3
- Strokes
- 8
- Attested in records
- 3
6 names and syllables in this reference have 林 as one of their character options. For 3 of them, 林 is attested in records of real names; the rest are possible characters for that spelling.
Meanings of 林: the recorded options
forest; grove; woods
in 7 character options · attested
Unihan definition: forest, grove; surname
What a name means depends on the characters the family chose and how they combine; these are options, not one definite meaning.
Malaysian spellings of 林
| Spelling | Romanization | attested in name records |
|---|---|---|
| Lin | Mandarin | attested in name records |
| Lim | Hokkien · Hakka · Teochew | attested in name records |
| Lum | Cantonese | possible |
- Lin3
- Lim2
- Lum1
Readings of 林 by dialect
Readings from the character options in our name records; Unihan gives Mandarin lín and Cantonese lam4.
3 names that can be written with 林
3 syllables that can stand for 林
Sources
- Wiktionary: 林 · en.wiktionary.org · meaning
- MDBG: 林 · mdbg.net · meaning
- Unicode Unihan Database: U+6797 · unicode.org · meaning
Readings, meanings and stroke count: the character options in our name records and the Unicode Unihan Database (Unicode License). A spelling describes how a name is written, not anyone’s dialect or background.
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Frequently asked questions
What does 林 mean in a name?
Our records give several meanings for 林, including “forest; grove; woods”. What a name actually means depends on the characters the family chose and how they combine.
How is 林 spelled in Malaysia?
In our records 林 is spelled Lin (Mandarin), Lim (Hokkien, Hakka, Teochew) and Lum (Cantonese). A spelling follows a dialect’s romanization; it does not show which dialect anyone speaks.
Is every Lum written 林?
Not necessarily. The spelling Lum can also stand for 霖, 琳. Only the family knows which character was chosen.