厉 (lì) — (bound form) harsh, severe, strict; (bound form) evil, cruel; (surname) Li

Definition

A bound morpheme meaning 'harsh, strict' — almost always attached to another character (严厉, 厉害, 厉行), rarely used alone. Stronger and more written than 严.

bound form
harshseverestrictevilcruel(surname) Li
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Tā de tài dù fēi cháng yán lì.
    His attitude is very strict.
  • ，。
    Zhè cì kǎo shì tài nán le, zhēn lì hài.
    This exam was too hard — really tough.
  • 厉。
    lì Xíng jié yuē shì wǒ men de yuán zé.
    Strictly practicing economy is our principle.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most 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 厲; 厉 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
厂厂chǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
蠆
蠆chài厲lì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 厲 uses 厂 for meaning and 蠆 for sound; 厉 is not the form whose parts are being described.

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