Meanings of 厲
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About 厲
Podcast: 厲
Podcast: 厲
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AI Study Notes for 厲
厉 (lì) vs 锐 (ruì) — choose 厉 when emphasizing the action of sharpening or honing, while 锐 refers specifically to the sharpness of an object.
Be cautious with the tone; the character 厲 uses the fourth tone (lì), which is sharp and falling. It's often used in formal or literary contexts when discussing skills or tools. Common collocations include 厲害 (lìhài, meaning formidable or intense), which can lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.
Although 厲 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other HSK words related to skills and tools. Focusing on characters with similar meanings can help reinforce the concept of improvement and refinement in language learning.
Learners often confuse 厲 (lì) with similar-sounding characters, such as 利 (lì, meaning benefit). For example, saying '我觉得他很利' (wǒ juédé tā hěn lì) mistakenly uses 利 instead of 厲, which should be '我觉得他很厲害' (wǒ juédé tā hěn lìhài).
Pronunciation of 厲
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Etymology of 厲
Simplified form of 厲. Phonosemantic compound. 厂 represents the meaning and 萬 represents the sound.
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 厲
Simplified form of 厲. Phonosemantic compound. 厂 represents the meaning and 萬 represents the sound.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 厲? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 厲
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How to say whetstone; to grind, to sharpen, to whet in Chinese
“whetstone; to grind, to sharpen, to whet” in Chinese is厲
The character 厲 (lì) primarily means 'to grind' or 'to sharpen,' often used in contexts involving tools or skills. It can refer to the action of using a whetstone to sharpen a blade, and metaphorically, it can also describe the process of honing one's abilities or character.
When to use 厲
Be cautious with the tone; the character 厲 uses the fourth tone (lì), which is sharp and falling. It's often used in formal or literary contexts when discussing skills or tools. Common collocations include 厲害 (lìhài, meaning formidable or intense), which can lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.
厲 or something close to it
厉 (lì) vs 锐 (ruì) — choose 厉 when emphasizing the action of sharpening or honing, while 锐 refers specifically to the sharpness of an object.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 厲 (lì) with similar-sounding characters, such as 利 (lì, meaning benefit). For example, saying '我觉得他很利' (wǒ juédé tā hěn lì) mistakenly uses 利 instead of 厲, which should be '我觉得他很厲害' (wǒ juédé tā hěn lìhài).
Write 厲
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Practice writing 厲 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 厲
Compound Meaning
What does 厉害 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 厲
It is pronounced as 'lì' with a falling tone.
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