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瞭 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
瞭liàobright; clear-sighted; to understandv, 17 strokes, radical 目, rank #17433, Very Hard
瞭liàoto watch from a height or distanceunknown, 17 strokes, radical 目, rank #17433, Very Hard
瞭liàoto surveyunknown, 17 strokes, radical 目, rank #17433, Very Hard
瞭liǎobright; clear-sighted; to understandv, 17 strokes, radical 目, rank #17433, Very Hard
瞭liǎoto watch from a height or distanceunknown, 17 strokes, radical 目, rank #17433, Very Hard
瞭liǎoto surveyunknown, 17 strokes, radical 目, rank #17433, Very Hard
liǎo(liao3)liao
primary
T3
  1. 1bright; clear-sighted; to understand
  2. 2to watch from a height or distance
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March 24, 2026

瞭liǎo(liao3)

The character 瞭 (liǎo) conveys the meanings of clarity and understanding, often used to indicate a clear perception or comprehension of a situation. It is commonly used in contexts involving insight or knowledge, such as understanding a concept or surveying a landscape.

Strokes17Radical目Frequency#17433DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese philosophy, clarity of thought and perception is often associated with wisdom. The concept of surveying or understanding one's surroundings is crucial in Chinese culture, especially in practices like feng shui, which emphasize awareness of one's environment.

Memory tip

Imagine a wise owl perched high on a branch, watching the world below with clear eyes. The radical 目 (eye) suggests vision, while the character's shape signifies a higher perspective, helping you remember that 瞭 means to see clearly or understand deeply.

Meanings of 瞭

liǎo(liao3)
primary
1bright; clear-sighted; to understand
2to watch from a height or distance
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 瞭

瞭Simplified
17Strokes
目Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 瞭

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Podcast: 瞭

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AI study notes for 瞭

Quick Contrast

了解 (liǎojiě) vs 明白 (míngbái) — use 瞭 when emphasizing clarity of perception, while 了解 focuses on understanding through information or experience.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 瞭 with similar-sounding words like 了 (le), which indicates completion. 瞭 is more formal and often appears in written texts rather than in casual conversation. It commonly collocates with terms like '了解' (liǎo jiě, to understand) or '清楚' (qīng chǔ, clear).

HSK Study Tips

Although 瞭 is not in the official HSK list, it is beneficial for learners at HSK 4 and above to recognize it due to its usage in more advanced texts. Focus on its components and relationships with words like '明了' (míng liǎo, to be clear) to enhance your vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 瞭 with 了 (le) due to their similar pronunciations. For example, saying '我瞭这个' instead of '我了这个' is incorrect; the correct usage for indicating understanding should be '我明白这个' (wǒ míng bái zhè ge).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 瞭

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Etymology of 瞭

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

Phonosemantic compound. 目 represents the meaning and 尞 represents the sound.

Memory hint

eye

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

Origin

瞭 = 目 + 尞. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 瞭

IDS Structure⿰目尞
瞭Full character
=
目mu4
left
尞liao4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 瞭?

How to say bright; clear-sighted; to understand in Chinese

“bright; clear-sighted; to understand” in Chinese is瞭liào

The character 瞭 (liǎo) conveys the meanings of clarity and understanding, often used to indicate a clear perception or comprehension of a situation. It is commonly used in contexts involving insight or knowledge, such as understanding a concept or surveying a landscape.

When to use 瞭

Be careful not to confuse 瞭 with similar-sounding words like 了 (le), which indicates completion. 瞭 is more formal and often appears in written texts rather than in casual conversation. It commonly collocates with terms like '了解' (liǎo jiě, to understand) or '清楚' (qīng chǔ, clear).

瞭 or something close to it

了解 (liǎojiě) vs 明白 (míngbái) — use 瞭 when emphasizing clarity of perception, while 了解 focuses on understanding through information or experience.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 瞭 with 了 (le) due to their similar pronunciations. For example, saying '我瞭这个' instead of '我了这个' is incorrect; the correct usage for indicating understanding should be '我明白这个' (wǒ míng bái zhè ge).

Write 瞭

瞭

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

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Word Family of 瞭

Words containing this character4
瞭liǎoto survey
瞭望to keep a lookout
瞭望台observation tower瞭望臺
瞭望哨lookout post
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 瞭

What does 瞭望 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 瞭

You can use 瞭 in contexts like '我明白了' (wǒ míng bái le), meaning 'I understand clearly,' where it emphasizes clarity.

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