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March 24, 2026
隸lì(li4)
The character 隸 (lì) refers to someone who is subservient or serves another, often implying a sense of duty or servitude. It is used in contexts related to hierarchy, where the individual is subordinate to a higher authority. This character is also associated with historical roles, such as officials or clerks in ancient China.
Strokes17Radical隶Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
Historically, the role of a 隸 was significant in the bureaucratic systems of ancient China, often involving scholars who served in government positions. Understanding this character provides insight into the importance of hierarchical structures in Chinese society.
Memory Tip
Imagine a servant (lì) standing under a heavy roof (the radical 隹) while holding a scroll (the radical 隶) that lists tasks. The image of the servant beneath the weight of duty helps you remember both the meaning and the pronunciation of 隸.
Meanings of 隸
lì(li4)
1subservient; servant
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About 隸
隸Simplified
17Strokes
隶Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 隸
Podcast: 隸
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AI Study Notes for 隸
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a servant (lì) standing under a heavy roof (the radical 隹) while holding a scroll (the radical 隶) that lists tasks. The image of the servant beneath the weight of duty helps you remember both the meaning and the pronunciation of 隸.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 隸 (lì) with other characters that denote similar but different concepts of servitude or subordination. This character is more formal and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation, so it's best suited for written contexts or discussions about historical roles.
HSK Study Tips
Although 隸 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, learners should connect it with other characters related to service or subordination. Focus on recognizing the radicals to enhance your understanding of word formation in Chinese.
Cultural Note
Historically, the role of a 隸 was significant in the bureaucratic systems of ancient China, often involving scholars who served in government positions. Understanding this character provides insight into the importance of hierarchical structures in Chinese society.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 隸 (lì) with similar-sounding characters like 理 (lǐ), which means 'reason' or 'principle.' Pay attention to context to avoid mix-ups.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 隸
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Cultural Notes for 隸
🏮Cultural insight
Historically, the role of a 隸 was significant in the bureaucratic systems of ancient China, often involving scholars who served in government positions. Understanding this character provides insight into the importance of hierarchical structures in Chinese society.
Word Family of 隸
Words Containing This Character9
奴隶núlìslave奴隸
隶属to be attached to隸屬
奴隶制slavery奴隸制
奴隶主slave owner奴隸主
隶lìscribe隸
直隶Ming and Qing dynasty province directly administered by Beijing, including Beijing, Tianjin, most of Hebei and Henan and part of Shandong直隸
隶书clerical script隸書
奴隶社会slave-owning society (precedes feudal society 封建社會|封建社会 in Marxist theory)奴隸社會
奴隶制度slavery奴隸制度
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 奴隶 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 隸
While 隸 specifically denotes a subordinate role within a structured hierarchy, other characters like 仆 (pú) can refer to a more general concept of a servant without the same formal implications.
In modern usage, 隸 is mostly found in historical texts or discussions about ancient Chinese bureaucracy, rather than in daily conversation.
Not quite. 隸 implies a specific subordinate role, while a helper could be described with different terms that don't carry the same hierarchical weight.
