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離 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
離lírare beast; strange; elegantzg, 18 strokes, radical 隹
lí(li2)li T2
  1. 1rare beast; strange; elegant
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March 24, 2026

離lí(li2)

The character 離 (lí) primarily denotes the concept of separation or departure. It can imply something rare or strange, often used in literary contexts to describe elegance or the elusive nature of certain creatures or ideas. Its usage often evokes a sense of beauty or sophistication.

Strokes18Radical隹
Cultural note

In Chinese literature, 離 is often used in poetry to convey themes of longing and the beauty of separation, reflecting traditional values of elegance and transience, particularly in relation to nature and relationships.

Memory tip

Imagine a rare beast, elegantly leaving a mystical forest. The character 離 resembles a creature taking flight, with the '离' component suggesting the idea of moving away or departing, while its elegant curves evoke grace.

Meanings of 離

lí(li2)
1rare beast; strange; elegant
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 離

離Simplified
18Strokes
隹Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 離

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Podcast: 離

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AI study notes for 離

Quick Contrast

离 (lí) vs 分 (fēn) — use 离 for separation in a more abstract or elegant context, while 分 is more concrete and often refers to dividing or distributing.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 離 with its homophones and similar-looking characters. It is generally used in a more literary or poetic context rather than everyday conversation. Common collocations include '離開' (to leave) and '離別' (separation).

HSK Study Tips

While 離 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, it relates to other characters that express movement or separation, like 出 (chū, to go out) and 去 (qù, to go). Focus on understanding its context in literature and poetry to appreciate its nuances.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 離 as 'lǐ' instead of 'lí', especially when they confuse it with 里. Additionally, they may use it in incorrect contexts, such as trying to denote everyday actions rather than its more elevated meanings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 離

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Etymology of 離

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

Pictograph of a legendary mountain demon with horns and a tail beween its legs, now written as 魑. The traditional character 離 (leave; depart; away from) was simplified to 离 by deleting the 隹 (bird) component.

Memory hint

bird

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

Origin

離 = 隹 + 离. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 離

IDS Structure⿰离隹
離Full character
=
离chi1
left
隹zhui1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 離?

How to say rare beast; strange; elegant in Chinese

“rare beast; strange; elegant” in Chinese is離lí

The character 離 (lí) primarily denotes the concept of separation or departure. It can imply something rare or strange, often used in literary contexts to describe elegance or the elusive nature of certain creatures or ideas. Its usage often evokes a sense of beauty or sophistication.

When to use 離

Learners often confuse 離 with its homophones and similar-looking characters. It is generally used in a more literary or poetic context rather than everyday conversation. Common collocations include '離開' (to leave) and '離別' (separation).

離 or something close to it

离 (lí) vs 分 (fēn) — use 离 for separation in a more abstract or elegant context, while 分 is more concrete and often refers to dividing or distributing.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 離 as 'lǐ' instead of 'lí', especially when they confuse it with 里. Additionally, they may use it in incorrect contexts, such as trying to denote everyday actions rather than its more elevated meanings.

Write 離

離

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

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Word Family of 離

Words containing this character20
离开líkāito depart離開
离líto leave離
距离jùlídistance距離
离婚líhūnto divorce離婚
分离fēnlíto separate分離
远离yuǎnlíto be far from遠離
脱离tuōlíto break away from脫離
隔离gélíto separate隔離
离去to leave離去
离子ion離子
逃离to run out逃離
撤离chèlíto evacuate撤離
离不开líbukāiinseparable離不開
偏离to deviate偏離
离谱excessive離譜
游离to disassociate遊離
离职lízhíto retire離職
剥离to peel剝離
离奇líqíodd離奇
离别to part from sb離別
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 離

What does 离开 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 離

The primary meaning of 離 is related to separation or departure, but it can also convey ideas of elegance and rarity.

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