Learn a Chinese Character - 累

1. Character Basics

Radical: 糸 (silk radical)

Stroke Count: 11

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: lèi (Fourth tone), lěi (Third tone), léi (Second tone) - multiple pronunciations

3. Meaning

lèi (Fourth tone): Tired; exhausted; fatigued; weary; to be tired

lěi (Third tone): To accumulate; to pile up; to heap; to store; to amass; to build up; layer; stack; to involve

léi (Second tone): To tie up; to bind; to wrap around; to string together; connected; continued

4. Common Words

• 累了 (lèile) - tired; exhausted
• 积累 (jīlěi) - to accumulate; to build up; accumulation
• 受累 (shòulèi) - to get tired; to suffer; to be put to trouble
• 劳累 (láolèi) - tired from work; fatigued; exhausted
• 累积 (lěijī) - to accumulate; to pile up; cumulative
• 连累 (liánlěi) - to implicate; to involve; to get sb into trouble
• 累累 (lěilěi) - many; numerous; piled up in heaps
• 拖累 (tuōlěi) - to be a burden to; to hold back; to encumber

5. Grammar & Usage

The character "累" has three main pronunciations with distinct meanings and uses:

Pronunciation lèi (Fourth tone):

• Used as an adjective meaning "tired" or "exhausted"
• Commonly used in phrases like "累了" (tired) and "很累" (very tired)
• Can be used with "得" to form resultative complements: 累得筋疲力尽 (lèi de jīnpílìjìn) - tired to the bone

Pronunciation lěi (Third tone):

• Used as a verb meaning "to accumulate" or "to pile up"
• Common in compound verbs like "积累" (to accumulate) and "累积" (to accumulate)
• Can be used in the structure "累+宾语" as in "累经验" (accumulate experience)

Pronunciation léi (Second tone):

• Less common, mainly used in the phrase "累赘" (léizhui) meaning "burdensome" or "cumbersome"

6. Cultural Background

The character "累" reflects important cultural concepts in Chinese society, particularly regarding work ethics and perseverance.

In traditional Chinese culture, hard work and perseverance are highly valued, and the experience of being "累" (tired) from labor is seen as a natural part of achieving success and contributing to family and society.

The concept of "积累" (jīlěi - accumulation) is deeply ingrained in Chinese philosophy and learning methods, emphasizing the importance of gradual progress and building knowledge over time.

The idiom "长年累月" (chángnián lěiyuè) meaning "over many years and months" reflects the Chinese cultural appreciation for long-term dedication and persistence.

In modern times, the character is often used in discussions about work-life balance and the importance of managing fatigue and stress in a fast-paced society.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character "累" (lèi/lěi/léi) consists of:

• The radical "糸" (silk radical) on the bottom
• The component "田" (field) and "幺" on top

To remember the character, think of it as "working hard in the field (田) until tired" for the pronunciation lèi, or "piling up (幺幺) harvests from the field (田)" for the pronunciation lěi.

Practice writing the character following the stroke order to help with memorization.

Associate the different pronunciations with their distinct meanings:

• lèi (Fourth tone): related to tiredness
• lěi (Third tone): related to accumulation
• léi (Second tone): mainly for "累赘"

Use example sentences for each pronunciation to reinforce usage.