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唳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
唳lìa bird's cryg, 11 strokes, radical 口
唳lìcry of a crane or wild gooseunknown, 11 strokes, radical 口
lì(li4)li T4
  1. 1a bird's cry
  2. 2cry of a crane or wild goose
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March 24, 2026

唳lì(li4)

The character 唳 (lì) refers to the sound made by certain birds, particularly cranes or wild geese. It captures the essence of a bird's cry, evoking imagery of nature and the vocal expressions of these creatures. This term is often used in poetic or literary contexts to convey beauty and the sounds of the wilderness.

Strokes11Radical口
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the crane is often seen as a symbol of longevity and wisdom. The sound of the crane's cry, represented by 唳, is frequently referenced in traditional poetry, symbolizing beauty and the fleeting nature of life.

Memory tip

Think of a crane crying 'Lì!' as it flies gracefully through the air. The character 唳 resembles a bird's open beak, emphasizing its vocal nature. Imagine the sound echoing through the peaceful countryside to help remember its pronunciation and meaning.

Meanings of 唳

lì(li4)
1a bird's cry
2cry of a crane or wild goose
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 唳

唳Simplified
11Strokes
口Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 唳

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AI study notes for 唳

Usage Notes

唳 is a relatively formal term and is more often found in literature or poetic expressions rather than everyday conversation. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with more common terms for bird calls, such as 鸣 (míng). Remember that it specifically refers to the calls of cranes and geese.

HSK Study Tips

Although 唳 is not included in the HSK levels, it relates to HSK vocabulary dealing with animals and nature. Students should focus on understanding its specific context and usage, as it helps broaden their grasp of animal-related terminology in Mandarin.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 唳 with 鸣 (míng), which means 'to chirp' or 'to sing', used for other birds. A wrong example would be using 唳 to describe a sparrow's song, which is more accurately described with 鸣.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 唳

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Etymology of 唳

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

mouth

Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)戾
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

唳 = 口 + 戾. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 唳

IDS Structure⿰口戾
唳Full character
=
口kou3
left
戾li4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 唳?

How to say a bird's cry in Chinese

“a bird's cry” in Chinese is唳lì

The character 唳 (lì) refers to the sound made by certain birds, particularly cranes or wild geese. It captures the essence of a bird's cry, evoking imagery of nature and the vocal expressions of these creatures. This term is often used in poetic or literary contexts to convey beauty and the sounds of the wilderness.

When to use 唳

唳 is a relatively formal term and is more often found in literature or poetic expressions rather than everyday conversation. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with more common terms for bird calls, such as 鸣 (míng). Remember that it specifically refers to the calls of cranes and geese.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 唳 with 鸣 (míng), which means 'to chirp' or 'to sing', used for other birds. A wrong example would be using 唳 to describe a sparrow's song, which is more accurately described with 鸣.

Write 唳

唳

Practice writing 唳 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 唳

Words containing this character2
风声鹤唳fēngshēnghèlìto be jittery風聲鶴唳
唳lìcry of a crane or wild goose
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 唳

What does 风声鹤唳 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 唳

It is pronounced as 'lì'.

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