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荔 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
荔lìlycheen, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #99045, Very Hard
lì(li4)li T4
  1. 1lychee
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March 24, 2026

荔(茘)lì(li4)

荔 (lì) refers to the lychee fruit, which is known for its sweet and fragrant flavor. Commonly enjoyed in Chinese cuisine, it is often eaten fresh, used in desserts, or incorporated into beverages. The character can also indicate a variant spelling of lychee in different contexts.

Strokes9Radical艹Frequency#99045DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

Lychee is celebrated in Chinese culture, often associated with summer and festivals. It is also a traditional gift during family gatherings, symbolizing prosperity and good fortune.

Memory tip

Imagine a lush lychee tree with its bright red fruits hanging like jewels. The character 荔 has the radical 艹 (grass), suggesting it is a plant, and the character itself sounds like 'lee', resembling the sweet sound of the fruit's name.

Meanings of 荔

lì(li4)
1lychee
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 荔

荔Simplified
茘Traditional
9Strokes
艹Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 荔

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Podcast: 荔

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AI Study Notes for 荔

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 荔 (lì) with its variant spelling, 李 (lǐ), which means 'plum' or is a common surname. This word is typically used in informal contexts, especially when discussing fruit or culinary topics. Pay attention to the tone, as it changes the meaning significantly.

HSK Study Tips

While 荔 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other fruit-related words like 苹果 (píngguǒ, apple) and 香蕉 (xiāngjiāo, banana). Students should focus on recognizing similar characters and understanding their contexts in food-related discussions.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is confusing 荔 (lì) with 李 (lǐ), as both are pronounced similarly but mean different things. Always remember that 荔 refers specifically to the lychee fruit.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 荔

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Etymology of 荔

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

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 劦 represents the sound. Simplified form of 茘.

Memory hint

plant

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

Origin

荔 = 艹 + 劦. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 荔

IDS Structure⿱艹劦
荔Full character
=
艹cao3
top
劦lie4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 荔?

How to say lychee in Chinese

“lychee” in Chinese is荔lì

荔 (lì) refers to the lychee fruit, which is known for its sweet and fragrant flavor. Commonly enjoyed in Chinese cuisine, it is often eaten fresh, used in desserts, or incorporated into beverages. The character can also indicate a variant spelling of lychee in different contexts.

When to use 荔

Learners often confuse 荔 (lì) with its variant spelling, 李 (lǐ), which means 'plum' or is a common surname. This word is typically used in informal contexts, especially when discussing fruit or culinary topics. Pay attention to the tone, as it changes the meaning significantly.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is confusing 荔 (lì) with 李 (lǐ), as both are pronounced similarly but mean different things. Always remember that 荔 refers specifically to the lychee fruit.

Write 荔

荔

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

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Word Family of 荔

Words containing this character11
荔枝litchi or lychee fruit (Litchi chinensis Sonn.)
荔lìvariant of 荔[lì]茘
荔湾区Liwan district of Guangzhou city 廣州市|广州市[Guǎng​zhōu​shì], Guangdong荔灣區
荔波Libo county in Qiannan Buyei and Miao autonomous prefecture 黔南州[Qián​nán​zhōu], Guizhou
荔波县Libo county in Qiannan Buyei and Miao autonomous prefecture 黔南州[Qián​nán​zhōu], Guizhou荔波縣
大荔县Dali County in Weinan 渭南[Wèi​nán], Shaanxi大荔縣
番荔枝custard apple
大荔Dali County in Weinan 渭南[Wèi​nán], Shaanxi
荔城Licheng district of Putian city 莆田市[Pú​tián​shì], Fujian
荔城区Licheng district of Putian city 莆田市[Pú​tián​shì], Fujian荔城區
荔浦县Lipu county in Guilin 桂林[Guì​lín], Guangxi荔浦縣
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 荔

What does 荔枝 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 荔

The correct pronunciation is 'lì' with a falling tone.

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