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坜 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
坜lìdrain, ditch, channelx, 7 strokes, radical 土
坜lìhole, pitunknown, 7 strokes, radical 土
lì(li4)li T4
  1. 1drain, ditch, channel
  2. 2hole, pit
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March 24, 2026

坜(壢)lì(li4)

The character 坜 (lì) refers to a drain, ditch, or channel, typically used in agricultural or construction contexts. It can also denote a hole or pit, emphasizing its connection to water management and landscape alteration.

Strokes7Radical土
Cultural Note

In Chinese agriculture, proper drainage is crucial for crop yield, making the concept of 坜 (lì) significant in rural planning and farming techniques.

Memory Tip

Think of 坜 (lì) as a 'liquid' channel, where the top part (土) represents earth (soil) and the bottom part (立) stands for standing or setting up. Imagine a ditch that holds water, creating a vivid image of a landscape altered for farming.

Meanings of 坜

lì(li4)
1drain, ditch, channel
2hole, pit
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 坜 means.

About 坜

坜Simplified
壢Traditional
7Strokes
土Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 坜

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Podcast: 坜

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AI Study Notes for 坜

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 坜 (lì) with similar characters that involve water or earth. It is generally used in more formal contexts related to land or agriculture, so avoid using it in casual conversation. Be mindful of its tone and pronunciation when using it in sentences.

HSK Study Tips

While 坜 (lì) is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects to HSK Level 3 words related to nature and environment. Students should focus on similar characters that describe landforms or water bodies to expand their vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 坜 (lì) with the character 坝 (bā), which means dam. For example, saying '我有一个坜' (wǒ yǒu yīgè lì) instead of '我有一个沟' (wǒ yǒu yīgè gōu) can lead to confusion since they refer to different types of channels.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 坜

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Etymology of 坜

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

earth

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

Origin

坜 = 土 + 历. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 坜

IDS Structure⿰土历
坜Full Character
=
土Tu3
left
历li4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 坜?

How to say drain, ditch, channel in Chinese

“drain, ditch, channel” in Chinese is坜lì

The character 坜 (lì) refers to a drain, ditch, or channel, typically used in agricultural or construction contexts. It can also denote a hole or pit, emphasizing its connection to water management and landscape alteration.

When to use 坜

Common mistakes include confusing 坜 (lì) with similar characters that involve water or earth. It is generally used in more formal contexts related to land or agriculture, so avoid using it in casual conversation. Be mindful of its tone and pronunciation when using it in sentences.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 坜 (lì) with the character 坝 (bā), which means dam. For example, saying '我有一个坜' (wǒ yǒu yīgè lì) instead of '我有一个沟' (wǒ yǒu yīgè gōu) can lead to confusion since they refer to different types of channels.

Write 坜

坜

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

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Word Family of 坜

Words Containing This Character2
坜lìhole, pit壢
中坜市Zhongli or Chungli city in Taoyuan county 桃園縣|桃园县[Táo​yuán​xiàn], north Taiwan中壢市
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 坜

What does 中坜市 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 坜

While both refer to channels, 坜 (lì) usually emphasizes a constructed ditch for drainage, whereas 沟 (gōu) can refer to any kind of ditch or canal.

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