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骊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
骊lía pure-black horse; a pair of horsesns, 10 strokes, radical 马, rank #96250, Very Hard
骊líblack horseunknown, 10 strokes, radical 马, rank #96250, Very Hard
骊líjet steedunknown, 10 strokes, radical 马, rank #96250, Very Hard
骊lígood horseunknown, 10 strokes, radical 马, rank #96250, Very Hard
骊lílegendary black dragonunknown, 10 strokes, radical 马, rank #96250, Very Hard
lí(li2) T2
  1. 1a pure-black horse; a pair of horses
  2. 2black horse
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

骊(驪)lí(li2)

The character 骊 (lí) primarily refers to a pure-black horse, often associated with strength and beauty in Chinese literature and mythology. It can also denote a pair of horses or symbolize exceptional quality, sometimes linking to legendary creatures like black dragons, reflecting its cultural significance in stories and poetry.

Strokes10Radical马Frequency#96250DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the black horse symbolizes nobility and strength, often appearing in historical texts and folklore where horses are depicted as companions of heroes or significant figures.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sleek, shiny black horse galloping through the night, its name is 'Lí.' The character 骊 resembles a horse with its radical, and the 'black' aspect can remind you of a starless night sky, highlighting the horse's majestic presence.

Meanings of 骊

lí(li2)
1a pure-black horse; a pair of horses
2black horse
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 骊

骊Simplified
驪Traditional
10Strokes
马Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 骊

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Podcast: 骊

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AI Study Notes for 骊

Usage Notes

Learners should be cautious not to confuse 骊 with other horse-related characters, as subtle differences can change meanings. It is more commonly used in literary or poetic contexts rather than in everyday conversation, so understanding its formal register is important.

HSK Study Tips

Although 骊 is not an HSK level word, its connection to horses can help students remember related terms like 马 (mǎ - horse) and 骏 (jùn - steed). Focus on recognizing its literary usage and the aesthetics of related characters.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 骊 with 马 (mǎ) when discussing horses. For example, saying '我喜欢骊' (Wǒ xǐhuān lí) instead of '我喜欢马' (Wǒ xǐhuān mǎ) can lead to misunderstandings, as 骊 conveys a more specific meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 骊

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Etymology of 骊

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

horse

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 骊

  1. 1The meaning half马 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half丽 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhorse
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 骊? 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 骊?

Decomposition of 骊

IDS Structure⿰马丽
骊Full Character
=
马Ma3
left
丽Li2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 骊?

How to say a pure-black horse; a pair of horses in Chinese

“a pure-black horse; a pair of horses” in Chinese is骊lí

The character 骊 (lí) primarily refers to a pure-black horse, often associated with strength and beauty in Chinese literature and mythology. It can also denote a pair of horses or symbolize exceptional quality, sometimes linking to legendary creatures like black dragons, reflecting its cultural significance in stories and poetry.

When to use 骊

Learners should be cautious not to confuse 骊 with other horse-related characters, as subtle differences can change meanings. It is more commonly used in literary or poetic contexts rather than in everyday conversation, so understanding its formal register is important.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 骊 with 马 (mǎ) when discussing horses. For example, saying '我喜欢骊' (Wǒ xǐhuān lí) instead of '我喜欢马' (Wǒ xǐhuān mǎ) can lead to misunderstandings, as 骊 conveys a more specific meaning.

Write 骊

骊

Practice writing 骊 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 骊

Words Containing This Character3
骊líblack horse驪
骊山Mt Li near Xi'an with the tomb of the First Emperor驪山
探骊得珠to see through to the nub探驪得珠
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 骊 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 骊

It is pronounced 'lí' with a rising tone.

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Not sure what to learn after 骊?

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