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癧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
scrofulous swellings or lumpszg, 21 strokes, radical 疒, Very Hard
(li4) T4
  1. 1scrofulous swellings or lumps
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March 24, 2026
(li4)

The character 癧 (lì) refers to scrofulous swellings or lumps, typically associated with tuberculosis of the lymph nodes. In medical contexts, it describes a condition where lumps appear due to chronic infections, often found in children. This term is specific and not commonly used in everyday conversation.

Strokes21RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, conditions like 癧 are often discussed in the context of imbalance within the body, reflecting the holistic approach to health that is prevalent in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'lump' (lì) that is 'licked' by a dog, causing it to swell. The character 癧 has the radical 疒 (disease) that hints at its medical meaning, and the pronunciation 'lì' can be remembered by associating it with 'licking' a lump.

Meanings of 癧

(li4)
1scrofulous swellings or lumps
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 癧

Simplified
21Strokes
Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 癧

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 癧

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'lump' (lì) that is 'licked' by a dog, causing it to swell. The character 癧 has the radical 疒 (disease) that hints at its medical meaning, and the pronunciation 'lì' can be remembered by associating it with 'licking' a lump.

Usage Notes

This term is primarily used in medical or historical discussions, not in casual conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding terms that relate to other conditions or symptoms. The tone is neutral and should be pronounced clearly to avoid misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Since 癧 (lì) is not part of the standard HSK curriculum, learners at this level should focus on recognizing it in specialized texts rather than using it in conversation. It can serve as a bridge to understanding more complex medical terminology in Chinese.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, conditions like 癧 are often discussed in the context of imbalance within the body, reflecting the holistic approach to health that is prevalent in Chinese culture.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 癧 (lì) with similar terms related to other health conditions, leading to miscommunication. For example, using 癧 when they mean a general 'swell' (肿) can cause confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 癧

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Etymology of 癧

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

sickness

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 癧?

Decomposition of 癧

IDS Structure⿸疒歷
Full Character
=
ne4
enclosing
li4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 癧?

Write 癧

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

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Cultural Notes for 癧

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese medicine, conditions like 癧 are often discussed in the context of imbalance within the body, reflecting the holistic approach to health that is prevalent in Chinese culture.

Word Family of 癧

Words Containing This Character1
scrofula (in Chinese medicine)
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 疬 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 癧

No, it's mainly used in medical or academic contexts.