Chinese Character: 璃
1. Character Basics
Radical: 王 (jade radical)
Stroke Count: 14
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: lí (Second tone)
3. Meaning
Glass; vitreous; crystalline; a component in words related to glass or glass-like materials; often used in compounds like "玻璃" (bōli, glass); transparent material; glaze; vitreous substance
4. Common Words
- 玻璃 (bōli) - glass; pane of glass
- 琉璃 (liúlí) - colored glaze;琉璃ware; azure stone; lapis lazuli
- 璃瑀 (líyǔ) - small stones; pebbles (archaic)
- 璃灯 (lídēng) - glass lamp; glazed lamp
- 璃窗 (líchuāng) - glass window; windowpane
- 璃瓶 (lípíng) - glass bottle; jar made of glass
- 璃镜 (líjìng) - glass mirror; mirror with glass surface
- 璃管 (líguǎn) - glass tube; glass pipe
5. Grammar & Usage
The character "璃" is primarily used as a morpheme (word component) in compound words rather than as an independent word. It is most commonly found in the compound "玻璃" (glass).
Grammar Patterns:
- 玻 + 璃: 玻璃 (glass)
- 琉 + 璃: 琉璃 (colored glaze)
- 璃 + 灯/窗/瓶/镜/管: 璃灯 (glass lamp), 璃窗 (glass window), 璃瓶 (glass bottle), 璃镜 (glass mirror), 璃管 (glass tube)
- Often used in technical and everyday vocabulary related to glass products and transparent materials
- Rarely used alone; typically appears in compound words
6. Cultural Background
The character "璃" has significant cultural importance in Chinese civilization, particularly in relation to the development and appreciation of glass and glazed materials.
In ancient China, glassmaking was a highly valued craft. The character "璃" is often associated with "琉璃" (liúlí), which refers to colored glaze or glassware that was highly prized for its beauty and craftsmanship.
琉璃ware has a long history in China, dating back to the Warring States period (475-221 BCE). It was used for decorative objects, jewelry, and as inlay in bronze and other metal objects.
In Buddhist art and architecture, 琉璃 is used to create colorful decorations, particularly for temples and pagodas. The琉璃tiles and ornaments symbolize purity and spiritual transcendence.
The phrase "琉璃世界" (liúlí shìjiè) literally means "glass world" but is often used metaphorically to describe a beautiful, dreamlike place or a perfect realm.
Today, the character "璃" is most commonly encountered in everyday items like "玻璃窗" (glass window), "玻璃杯" (glass cup), and other glass products that are essential to modern life.
7. Example Sentence
中文: 阳光透过玻璃窗照进房间，整个屋子都亮堂堂的。
Pinyin: Yángguāng tòuguò bōli chuāng zhào jìn fángjiān, zhěnggè wūzi dōu liàngtángtáng de.
English: Sunlight shines through the glass window into the room, making the whole house bright.
8. Memory Tips
The character "璃" (lí) consists of:
- The radical "王" (wáng, jade radical) on the left, which is often used in characters related to precious stones or materials
- The component "离" (lí) on the right, which provides the pronunciation
To remember the character, think of it as "a precious material (王) related to glass that has the sound 'lí' (离)."
Since "璃" is rarely used alone, associate it with the common compound "玻璃" (glass) to help remember its meaning and usage.
Practice writing the character following the stroke order to help with memorization.
Notice that the radical "王" (jade) is often used in characters related to valuable or beautiful materials, which fits with the concept of glass as a valuable and useful material.