Meanings of 冽
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About 冽
Podcast: 冽
Podcast: 冽
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AI Study Notes for 冽
冷 (lěng) - use 冽 (liè) when emphasizing a raw or piercing chill, while 冷 (lěng) is more general for cold temperature.
Be careful to use 冽 in contexts where you want to emphasize extreme coldness or clarity. It is more formal and may not be suitable for casual conversations. Common collocations include 冽风 (lièfēng - cold wind) and 冽水 (lièshuǐ - cold water).
Although 冽 is not part of the HSK levels, it connects with other words related to temperature and clarity, such as 冷 (lěng - cold) and 清 (qīng - clear). Students should focus on the nuances of coldness and purity when learning this character.
Learners often confuse 冽 with 冷 (lěng), mistakenly using it in casual contexts where 冷 would be more appropriate. For example, saying 冽水 instead of 冷水 (lěngshuǐ - cold water) when referring to regular cold water.
Pronunciation of 冽
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Etymology of 冽
Phonosemantic compound. 冫 represents the meaning and 列 represents the sound.
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Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 冽
Phonosemantic compound. 冫 represents the meaning and 列 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half冫 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half列 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayice
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
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Decomposition of 冽
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How to say cold and raw; pure, clear in Chinese
“cold and raw; pure, clear” in Chinese is冽
The character 冽 (liè) refers to a state of coldness, often emphasizing a raw or piercing chill. It can also convey the idea of purity and clarity, especially in contexts describing water or air. It is less commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in literary or poetic expressions.
When to use 冽
Be careful to use 冽 in contexts where you want to emphasize extreme coldness or clarity. It is more formal and may not be suitable for casual conversations. Common collocations include 冽风 (lièfēng - cold wind) and 冽水 (lièshuǐ - cold water).
冽 or something close to it
冷 (lěng) - use 冽 (liè) when emphasizing a raw or piercing chill, while 冷 (lěng) is more general for cold temperature.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 冽 with 冷 (lěng), mistakenly using it in casual contexts where 冷 would be more appropriate. For example, saying 冽水 instead of 冷水 (lěngshuǐ - cold water) when referring to regular cold water.
Write 冽
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Practice writing 冽 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 冽
Compound Meaning
What does 凛冽 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 冽
It is pronounced as 'liè', with a descending tone.
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