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隸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
隸lìsubservient; servantx, 17 strokes, radical 隶
lì(li4) T4
  1. 1subservient; servant
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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
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
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 隸

隸Simplified
17Strokes
隶Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 隸

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Podcast: 隸

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 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.

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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Etymology of 隸

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

bear

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 隸

  1. 1The meaning half柰 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half隶 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaybear
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 隸? 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 隸?

Decomposition of 隸

IDS Structure⿰柰隶
隸Full Character
=
柰nai4
left
隶li4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 隸?

How to say subservient; servant in Chinese

“subservient; servant” in Chinese is隸lì

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.

When to use 隸

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.

What learners get wrong

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.

Write 隸

隸

Practice writing 隸 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 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.

Jason Recommends

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