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赉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
赉làito bestow, to confer; surnamezg, 11 strokes, radical 贝
lài(lai4) T4
  1. 1to bestow, to confer; surname
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

赉(賚)lài(lai4)

The character 赉 (lài) means to bestow or confer something, typically indicating a generous or formal act of giving. It is often used in contexts involving gifts, honors, or titles that are conferred upon individuals, suggesting a sense of recognition and respect.

Strokes11Radical贝
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the act of bestowing titles or honors is significant, often tied to Confucian values of respect and recognition for one's achievements. This concept is reflected in ceremonies where titles are conferred upon scholars or officials.

Memory Tip

Imagine a royal figure (the shape of 赉) bestowing a golden crown upon a worthy subject. The left side resembles a hand reaching out to give, while the right side can remind you of a person receiving honor, helping you remember both the meaning of bestowing and the pronunciation 'lài'.

Meanings of 赉

lài(lai4)
1to bestow, to confer; surname
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 赉

赉Simplified
賚Traditional
11Strokes
贝Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 赉

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Podcast: 赉

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AI Study Notes for 赉

Usage Notes

赉 is a formal term often used in written texts, especially in legal or ceremonial contexts. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding characters like 来 (lái), which means 'to come'. Remember to use 赉 in contexts of formal conferral.

HSK Study Tips

Though 赉 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can enhance your comprehension of formal Chinese texts. Focus on recognizing it alongside related terms like 赠 (zèng, to gift) and 授 (shòu, to confer), which share similar meanings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 赉 with 来 (lái) due to their similar sounds and forms. Remember that 赉 specifically relates to the act of bestowing, while 来 means 'to come'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 赉

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Etymology of 赉

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

money

Semantic (meaning)贝
+
Phonetic (sound)来
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 赉

  1. 1The meaning half贝 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half来 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymoney
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 赉? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 赉?

Decomposition of 赉

IDS Structure⿱来贝
赉Full Character
=
来lai2
top
贝Bei4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 赉?

How to say to bestow, to confer; surname in Chinese

“to bestow, to confer; surname” in Chinese is赉lài

The character 赉 (lài) means to bestow or confer something, typically indicating a generous or formal act of giving. It is often used in contexts involving gifts, honors, or titles that are conferred upon individuals, suggesting a sense of recognition and respect.

When to use 赉

赉 is a formal term often used in written texts, especially in legal or ceremonial contexts. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding characters like 来 (lái), which means 'to come'. Remember to use 赉 in contexts of formal conferral.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 赉 with 来 (lái) due to their similar sounds and forms. Remember that 赉 specifically relates to the act of bestowing, while 来 means 'to come'.

Write 赉

赉

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 赉

Words Containing This Character4
赉làito bestow賚
镇赉县Zhenlai county in Baicheng 白城, Jilin鎮賚縣
扎赉特旗Jalaid banner, Mongolian Zhalaid khoshuu, in Hinggan league 興安盟|兴安盟[Xīng​'ān​méng], east Inner Mongolia扎賚特旗
镇赉Zhenlai county in Baicheng 白城, Jilin鎮賚
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 赉 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 赉

赉 is typically used in formal contexts, often in ceremonies or legal documents where honors, gifts, or titles are conferred.

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