冷
cool, cold (beer, person), chill
Readings
On'yomi
- レイ
Kun'yomi
- つめ.たい
- ひ.える
- ひ.や
- ひ.ややか
- ひ.やす
- ひ.やかす
- さ.める
- さ.ます
Meaning
冷 centers on a lack of warmth: something cool, cold, or chilled. It applies to physical temperature (cold beer, cool air) and can describe a chilly emotional tone in a person.
Most common words using 冷
24 of 240- 冷たいつめたいN5
cold (to the touch); chilly; icy; freezing
- 冷静れいせいN3
calmness; composure; coolness; serenity; presence of mind
- 冷蔵庫れいぞうこN5
refrigerator; fridge
- 冷凍れいとうN3
freezing; cold storage; refrigeration
- 冷えひえ
chilliness; coldness
- 冷やすひやすN4
to cool; to chill; to refrigerate
- 冷めるさめるN3
to cool down; to get cold
- 冷却れいきゃくN1
cooling; refrigeration
- 冷房れいぼうN4
air conditioning; air cooling
- 冷戦れいせんN1
cold war; the Cold War
- 冷凍庫れいとうこ
freezer
- 冷酷れいこくN1
cruelty; coldheartedness; relentless; ruthless
- 寒冷かんれいN1
cold; coldness; chilliness
- 冷えるひえるN4
to grow cold; to get chilly; to cool down
- 冷徹れいてつ
cool-headed; level-headed; hard-headed
- 冷蔵れいぞうN1
cold storage; refrigeration
- 冷水れいすいN1
cold water
- 冷や汗ひやあせN1
cold sweat
- 冷え性ひえしょう
sensitivity to cold; poor circulation
- 冷淡れいたんN1
cool; indifferent; apathetic; half-hearted
- 冷遇れいぐう
cold reception; inhospitality
- 冷ますさますN2
to cool (e.g. from a high temperature to room temperature); to let cool
- 冷暖房れいだんぼう
air conditioning and heating
- 冷ややかひややかN1
cold; chilly; cool
Study
Etymology
冷 combines the ice radical 冫 with 令, which likely contributes the sound. The ice radical suggests coldness, while 令 may have originally depicted a person kneeling under a roof, but its role here is primarily phonetic.
Meaning mnemonic
The ice radical 冫 on the left gives the cold meaning. Picture a command (令) to chill: someone orders you to put the drinks on ice, so everything becomes cool.
Reading mnemonic
For レイ, imagine a ray of cold moonlight: ray -> レイ, and the icy light makes everything feel chilled.