Several parts combine into one character.

涼 is a phonetic-semantic compound: 氵 (water) + 京 (jīng, "capital city" — but originally a pictograph of a tall raised pavilion built on a high foundation, suggesting elevation and openness to breeze). 京 contributes the sound and a hint that elevated places catch cooling breezes. The composite reads as "where moisture moves freely" = cool, refreshingly chilly without being cold. The two scripts coexist: traditional 涼 keeps the water radical 氵, while the variant 凉 substitutes the ice radical 冫 — both are accepted in modern usage, with mainland leaning toward 凉 and Japan retaining 涼.

The semantic feel of 涼 is more positive than 寒 (cold) or 凍 (freeze) — it captures a pleasant relief from heat, a desirable temperature.

Korean reading "lyang" (or "yang" by phonotactic rule). 淸涼 (cheongnyang, refreshing coolness — 청량음료 cheongnyang-eumnyo "refreshing beverage" is the Korean term for soft drinks like cola), 納涼 (nallyang, "to bring in coolness" = enjoying the cool — also the title of summer ghost-story specials called 납량특집 nallyang-teukjip on Korean TV: literally "cool-bringing specials," because ghost stories give you chills), 涼風 (yangpung, cool breeze), and the metaphorical 凄涼 (cheoryang, "sad and cool" = desolate / lonely / forlorn — coolness as emotional desolation).

Mandarin liáng, 2nd tone (simplified 凉). 凉快 (liángkuai, "cool-pleasant" = cool / refreshing — common comment when entering an air-conditioned room), 凉爽 (liángshuǎng, refreshingly cool), 凉水 (liángshuǐ, cooled-down water — note Mandarin distinguishes 凉水 cool / room-temperature water from 冷水 cold water), 凉鞋 (liángxié, "cool-shoes" = sandals — straightforward Chinese coinage for open footwear).

Japanese on-reading リョウ (ryō) — 清涼 (seiryō, refreshing — used in product names: 清涼飲料水 seiryō inryōsui, "refreshing beverages"), 納涼 (nōryō, summer cooling traditions — Japanese summer festivals offering relief from heat), 涼風 (ryōfū, cool breeze). Kun-readings: 涼しい (suzushii, "cool / refreshing" — the common adjective for pleasant breezes and shaded spots; as common as English "cool"), 涼む (suzumu, "to enjoy the cool" = to take a cool break, to step outside for fresh air). The summer Japanese greeting 涼しいですね ("isn't it nice and cool?") is exchanged in shaded gardens and air-conditioned shops.

Memory aid: water (氵) plus an elevated pavilion (京) — high places where moisture moves freely = cool. Distinct in feel from 寒 (cold and uncomfortable).