Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
褳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
褳liána folding purse kept in one's beltzg, 15 strokes, radical 衤
lián(lian2) T2
  1. 1a folding purse kept in one's belt
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

褳lián(lian2)

The character 褳 (lián) refers to a type of folding purse that is typically kept in one’s belt. It has historical significance in Chinese culture, often associated with practicality and the storage of small personal items.

Strokes15Radical衤
Cultural Note

In ancient China, personal accessories like 褳 were practical items that reflected social status and cultural norms, particularly in how one carried their belongings.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'folding purse' that 'leans' against your belt, reminding you of its name 'lián'. The character 褳 has the radical 衣 (clothing), suggesting it relates to items you wear or carry.

Meanings of 褳

lián(lian2)
1a folding purse kept in one's belt
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 褳

褳Simplified
15Strokes
衤Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 褳

JasonAmy

Podcast: 褳

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 褳

Usage Notes

While 褳 is not commonly used in contemporary Mandarin, it might appear in historical texts or discussions about traditional clothing. Be cautious with the pronunciation; the tone is important as mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 褳 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding this character can enhance your appreciation of historical context in Chinese language studies. It connects with words related to clothing and personal accessories, enriching your vocabulary in a cultural sense.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 褳 with similar-sounding characters, such as 连 (lián), which means 'to connect'. It's important to focus on the context and meaning to avoid such mistakes.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 褳

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 褳 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 褳

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

cloth

Semantic (meaning)衤
+
Phonetic (sound)連
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 褳

  1. 1The meaning half衤 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half連 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaycloth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 褳? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 褳?

Decomposition of 褳

IDS Structure⿰衤連
褳Full Character
=
衤yi1
left
連lian2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 褳?

How to say a folding purse kept in one's belt in Chinese

“a folding purse kept in one's belt” in Chinese is褳lián

The character 褳 (lián) refers to a type of folding purse that is typically kept in one’s belt. It has historical significance in Chinese culture, often associated with practicality and the storage of small personal items.

When to use 褳

While 褳 is not commonly used in contemporary Mandarin, it might appear in historical texts or discussions about traditional clothing. Be cautious with the pronunciation; the tone is important as mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 褳 with similar-sounding characters, such as 连 (lián), which means 'to connect'. It's important to focus on the context and meaning to avoid such mistakes.

Write 褳

褳

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 褳

Words Containing This Character2
褡裢jacket worn for Chinese wrestling褡褳
裢liánpouch hung from belt褳
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 褡裢 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 褳

No, 褳 is more of a historical term and is rarely used in modern Mandarin.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 褳?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.