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廉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
廉liánold variant of 廉[lián]nr, 13 strokes, radical 广, rank #27204, Very Hard
廉liánincorruptiblenr, 13 strokes, radical 广, rank #27204, Very Hard
廉liánhonestnr, 13 strokes, radical 广, rank #27204, Very Hard
廉liáninexpensivenr, 13 strokes, radical 广, rank #27204, Very Hard
廉liánto investigate (old)nr, 13 strokes, radical 广, rank #27204, Very Hard
廉liánside wall of a traditional Chinese house (old)nr, 13 strokes, radical 广, rank #27204, Very Hard
廉liánsurname Liannr, 13 strokes, radical 广, rank #27204, Very Hard
廉liánupright, honorable, honestnr, 13 strokes, radical 广, rank #27204, Very Hard
廉liánold variant of 廉[lian2]unknown, 13 strokes, radical 广, rank #27204, Very Hard
lián(lian2) T2
  1. 1old variant of 廉[lián]
  2. 2incorruptible
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
廉(㢘)lián(lian2)

The character 廉 (lián) primarily conveys the meanings of honesty, integrity, and incorruptibility. It is often used in contexts related to moral character or ethical behavior, and can also refer to something that is inexpensive. In historical and cultural settings, it may denote uprightness in governance or personal conduct.

Strokes13Radical广Frequency#27204DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, 廉 is closely associated with Confucian values, emphasizing moral integrity and the importance of being upright in both personal and public life.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wall representing stability (the radical '阝', which resembles a side wall) standing tall against corruption. The sound 'lián' can be remembered as 'lean' – a lean, honest figure, steadfast and upright.

Meanings of 廉

lián(lian2)
1incorruptible
2honest
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 廉

廉Simplified
㢘Traditional
13Strokes
广Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#27204Frequency Rank

Podcast: 廉

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Podcast: 廉

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AI Study Notes for 廉

Quick Contrast

清廉 (qīnglián) vs 廉 (lián): 清廉 emphasizes purity and incorruptibility, often in a moral or ethical context, while 廉 can also refer to being inexpensive.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a wall representing stability (the radical '阝', which resembles a side wall) standing tall against corruption. The sound 'lián' can be remembered as 'lean' – a lean, honest figure, steadfast and upright.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 廉 with similar-sounding characters or those with related meanings. It's used in both formal and informal contexts, often collocating with terms about ethics or pricing. Pay attention to the tone, as 'lián' must be pronounced with a rising tone.

HSK Study Tips

While 廉 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, its meanings align with themes of integrity and morality found in HSK Level 4 and above. Students should focus on the character's usage in phrases about honesty and ethics.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, 廉 is closely associated with Confucian values, emphasizing moral integrity and the importance of being upright in both personal and public life.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 廉 by using the wrong tone, saying it as 'liǎn' instead of 'lián'. Additionally, some might confuse it with 廉价 (liánjià) and incorrectly use it to mean 'cheap' without the context of integrity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 廉

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Etymology of 廉

Learn more about character formation (六书)

Decomposition of 廉

IDS Structure⿸广兼
廉Full Character
=
广Guang3
enclosing
兼jian1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 廉?

Write 廉

廉

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

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Grammar Patterns of 廉

廉 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 9 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

威____和企业家尼古拉斯·考特联手推出这款新车。

William joined forces with businessman Nicholas Court to launch the new vehicle.

Example Sentences for 廉 (10)

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1
威廉和企业家尼古拉斯·考特联手推出这款新车。

wēi lián hé qǐ yè jiā ní gǔ lā sī· · kǎo tè lián shǒu tuī chū zhè kuǎn xīn。

William joined forces with businessman Nicholas Court to launch the new vehicle.
2
我身边这位是格伦·威廉斯先生。

wǒ shēn biān zhè wèi shì gé lún· · wēi lián sī xiān。

I have here at my side Mr. Glenn Williams.
3
上校坐在一张廉价的木桌后面。

shàng xiào zuò zài yī zhāng lián jià de mù zhuō hòu miàn。

The colonel was sitting behind a cheap wooden desk.
4
有一些廉价的商品，但是数量不足以满足需求。

yǒu yī xiē lián jià de shāng pǐn， ， dàn shì shù liáng bù zú yǐ mǎn zú xū。

Cheap goods are available, but not in sufficient quantities to satisfy demand.
5
威廉是个有鉴赏力的人，对于品质的优劣很有眼光。

wēi lián shì gè yǒu jiàn shǎng lì de rén， ， duì yú pǐn zhì de yōu liè hěn yǒu yǎn。

William was a man of discernment, with an eye for quality.
6
威廉斯医生称其可能会成为特效药。

wēi lián sī yī shēng chēng qí kě néng huì chéng wéi tè xiào yào。

Dr Williams describes it as a potential wonder drug.
7
一块趣味盎然的桌布就能使一张廉价桌子面目一新。

yī kuài qù wèi àng rán de zhuō bù jiù néng shǐ yī zhāng lián jià zhuō zǐ miàn mù yī xīn。

A cheap table can be transformed by an interesting cover.
8
已经出售了140万套廉租公房，大部分购买者都是房子的承租人。

yǐ jīng chū shòu le140 140 wàn tào lián zū gōng， fáng ， dà bù fēn gòu mǎi zhě dū shì fáng zǐ de chéng。

4 million council homes have been sold, mostly to sitting tenants.
9
别买廉价的仿冒品，攒点钱买正品吧。

bié mǎi lián jià de fǎng mào pǐn， ， zǎn diǎn qián mǎi zhèng pǐn。

Don't resort to cheap copies; save up for the real thing.
10
他最近为菲茨威廉建成的小教堂赢得了好评。

tā zuì jìn wéi fēi cí wēi lián jiàn chéng de xiǎo jiào táng yíng dé le hǎo píng。

His recently completed chapel for Fitzwilliam is attracting favourable comment.

Cultural Notes for 廉

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, 廉 is closely associated with Confucian values, emphasizing moral integrity and the importance of being upright in both personal and public life.

Word Family of 廉

Compounds11
镰lian2sickle
濂lian2a waterfall; a river in Hunan
臁lian2leg, calf
蠊lian2cockroach
劆
嬚
燫
簾lian2the flag-sign of a tavern
薕
譧
鐮lian2sickle
Words Containing This Character14
威廉William or Wilhelm (name)
廉liánhonest
廉价liánjiàlow-cost廉價
廉政liánzhènghonest or clean politics
廉洁liánjiéhonest廉潔
反腐倡廉to fight corruption and advocate probity
价廉物美inexpensive and of good quality (idiom)價廉物美
廉耻honor and shame廉恥
物美价廉wùměijiàliána bargain物美價廉
清廉honest
低廉cheap
威廉斯堡Williamsburg, Virginia
威廉·莎士比亚William Shakespeare (1564-1616), poet and playwright威廉·莎士比亞
养廉to encourage honesty養廉
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 镰 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 廉

Common phrases include 廉洁 (liánjié), meaning 'clean' or 'pure' in terms of integrity, and 廉价 (liánjià), meaning 'low-priced'.