练 (liàn) — to practice, to train (a skill)
Definition
练 (liàn) is the base verb 'to practice / train' a skill. Use 练习 when practicing for school (noun: an exercise); 训练 is more for sports/military training.
verb
to practiceto train (a skill)
Examples
- 练。Wǒ měi tiān liàn yí gè xiǎo shí lán qiú.I practice basketball for an hour every day.
- 练？Nǐ liàn guò hàn zì ma?Have you practiced writing Chinese characters before?
- 练。Tā liàn dé hěn rèn zhēn.He practices very seriously.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 練; 练 is its simplified writing.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
柬
柬jiǎn練liàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 練 has 糸, silk, and 柬, which gives the sound. The simplified 练 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not historical.
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