麗

See also: 丽

麗	U+9E97, 麗 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-9E97

← 麖
[U+9E96]

CJK Unified Ideographs

麘 →
[U+9E98]

麗	U+F988, 麗 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F988

← 驪
[U+F987]

CJK Compatibility Ideographs

黎 →
[U+F989]

Translingual

Han character

麗 (Kangxi radical 198, 鹿+8, 19 strokes, Cangjie input 一一月月心 (MMBBP), four-corner 1121₁, composition ⿱丽鹿)

Derived characters

儷, 囇, 孋, 攦, 曬, 欐, 灑, 矖, 穲, 纚, 襹, 躧, 釃, 驪, 鱺, 彲, 酈, 鸝, 䚕, 籭, 䕻, 廲, 㿛, 邐

Additional Derived Characters

𠮔, 𡔉, 𢥬, 𤓧, 𤫟, 𥜰, 𦘐, 𧕯, 𧥖, 𨏽, 𨰣, 𩎉, 𪈳, 𫇃, 𬋞, 𠠫, 𣀷, 𣰿, 𪋭, 𬜟, 𦌿, 𪋨, 𪩠, 𬅛,

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 1510, character 31
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 47663
Dae Jaweon: page 2039, character 6
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 7, page 4732, character 4
Unihan data for U+9E97

Unihan data for U+F988

Chinese

trad.		麗
simp.		丽^*
alternative forms		𠀙𠀞𠧥𮭶𮭷𠀙𠀞𠧥𮭶𮭷𮭹𪋘丽婯𡡜𠪕䴡

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 麗
Shang	Western Zhou		Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Oracle bone script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (丽) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
灑	sreːlʔ, sreːlʔ, srelʔ, srels
籭	sreːl, srel
躧	sreːlʔ, srelʔ
曬	sreːls, srels
廲	*reːl
驪	reːl, rel
鱺	*reːlʔ
欐	reːlʔ, reːls, *srel
丽	*reːls
麗	reːls, rel
儷	*reːls
鸝	*rel
酈	rel, reːɡ
孋	*rel
矖	rel, srelʔ
穲	*rel
邐	*relʔ
彲	*r̥ʰel
釃	srel, srelʔ, *sra
襹	srel, srels
纚	*srelʔ

Pictogram (象形) – a deer with antlers.

Etymology

Schuessler (2007) minimally reconstructed this word's OC pronunciation as *rêh and considered it a possible allofam of 麗 (OC *rê(k)h) "number" < "what is calculated", exopassive derivative of 歷 (OC *rêk) "to calculate".

麗 underwent this historical semantic shift: from "a pair" (Zhouli), to "mate, companion" (儷) (Zuo), to "paired", to "well-proportioned" (Liji), and finally to "elegant, beautiful" (Chuci) as well as "refinement" (Shu).

Pronunciation 1

Mandarin
(Pinyin): lì (li⁴)

(Zhuyin): ㄌㄧˋ
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): lai⁶

(Taishan, Wiktionary): lai⁵
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): li

(Meixian, Guangdong): li⁴

(Changting, Changting Pinyin): li⁵
Eastern Min (BUC): lâ̤
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): lē

(Teochew, Peng'im): li⁶
Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁶li

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: lì
  - Zhuyin: ㄌㄧˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: lì
  - Wade–Giles: li⁴
  - Yale: lì
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: lih
  - Palladius: ли (li)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /li⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: lai⁶
  - Yale: laih
  - Cantonese Pinyin: lai⁶
  - Guangdong Romanization: lei⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /lɐi̯²²/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: lai⁵
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /lai³²/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: li
  - Hakka Romanization System: li
  - Hagfa Pinyim: li⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /li⁵⁵/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: li⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /li⁵³/
- (Changting)
  - Changting Pinyin: li⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /li²¹/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: lâ̤
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /l̃ɑ²⁴²/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lē
  - Tâi-lô: lē
  - Phofsit Daibuun: le
  - Sinological IPA (Xiamen): /le²²/
  - Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /le⁴¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /le²²/
  - Sinological IPA (Taipei): /le³³/
  - Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /le³³/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: li⁶
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: lĭ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /li³⁵/
Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ⁶li
  - MiniDict: li^去
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³li
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /li²³/

Middle Chinese: lejH

Rime
Character	麗
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	來 (37)
Final (韻)	齊 (39)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	IV
Fanqie	郎計切
Baxter	lejH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/lei^H/
Pan Wuyun	/lei^H/
Shao Rongfen	/lɛi^H/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/lɛj^H/
Li Rong	/lei^H/
Wang Li	/liei^H/
Bernhard Karlgren	/liei^H/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	lì
Expected Cantonese Reflex	lai⁶

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*[r]ˤe-s/

(Zhengzhang): /*reːls/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	麗
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	lì
Middle Chinese	‹ lej^H ›
Old Chinese	/*[r]ˁe-s/
English	symmetrical
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	麗
Reading #	1/2
No.	7914
Phonetic component	丽
Rime group	歌
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	麗
Old Chinese	/*reːls/

Definitions

麗

beautiful; lovely; pretty; fair; elegant
- 被文服纖，麗而不奇些。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  被文服纤，丽而不奇些。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: The Verses of Chu, 4^th century BCE – 2^nd century CE
  Bèi wén fú xiān, lì ér bù qí xiē. [Pinyin]
  Dressed in delicate embroidered clothes: beautiful without being eccentric.
magnificent; resplendent; gorgeous
富麗堂皇／富丽堂皇 ― fùlìtánghuáng ― magnificent and stately
splendour; lustre; radiance
- 雲飛揚兮雨滂沛，于胥德兮麗萬世。 [MSC, trad.]
  云飞扬兮雨滂沛，于胥德兮丽万世。 [MSC, simp.]
  From: Ganquanfu
  Yún fēiyáng xī yǔ pāngpèi, yú xū dé xī lì wànshì. [Pinyin]
  Clouds soar and rain pours; with such virtue, glory for ten thousand generations.
(literary) to adhere; to attach to; to be affixed
Alternative form: 離 / 离
- 日月麗乎天，百穀草木麗乎土。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
  日月丽乎天，百谷草木丽乎土。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: I Ching, 11^th – 8^th century BCE
  Rìyuè lì hū tiān, bǎigǔ cǎomù lì hū tǔ. [Pinyin]
  The sun and moon attach to heaven; the hundred grains and plants attach to the earth.
(literary) paired; forming a pair; in twos
Alternative form: 儷 / 俪 (lì)
- 麗馬一圉，八麗一師。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  丽马一圉，八丽一师。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Rites of Zhou, circa 3^rd century BCE
  Lì mǎ yī yǔ, bā lì yī shī. [Pinyin]
  One groom for a pair of horses; eight pairs make one shi.
(literary) to tie; to bind; to fasten
- 既入廟門，麗于碑。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  既入庙门，丽于碑。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: The Book of Rites, c. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE
  Jì rù miàomén, lì yú bēi. [Pinyin]
  After entering the temple gate, [the sacrificial animal] is tied to the stone post.
(literary) to connect; to link
- 天下事利與害常相麗。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  天下事利与害常相丽。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: 憲法之三大精神
  Tiānxià shì lì yǔ hài cháng xiàng lì. [Pinyin]
  In worldly affairs, benefit and harm are always linked to each other.
(literary) to harness side by side; to yoke together
- 麗鉤芒與驂蓐收兮，服玄冥及祝融。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  丽钩芒与骖蓐收兮，服玄冥及祝融。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: The Book of Han, circa 1^st century CE
  Lì Gōumáng yǔ cān Rùshōu xī, fú Xuánmíng jí Zhùróng. [Pinyin]
  Harnessing side by side Goumang and driving Rushou abreast, with Xuanming and Zhurong in harness.
(literary) to travel together; to accompany
- 若其五縣遊麗辯論之士。 [MSC, trad.]
  若其五县游丽辩论之士。 [MSC, simp.]
  From: Xijingfu
  Ruò qí wǔ xiàn yóu lì biànlùn zhī shì. [Pinyin]
  As for the debating scholars who travel together among the five counties.
(literary) to hit (a target); to strike accurately
- 麋興於前，射麋麗龜。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  麋兴于前，射麋丽龟。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE
  Mí xìng yú qián, shè mí lì guī. [Pinyin]
  An elk sprang up before him; he shot the elk and hit its back.
(literary) to apply; to impose; to inflict
- 郵罰麗於事。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  邮罚丽于事。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: The Book of Rites, c. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE
  Yóu fá lì yú shì. [Pinyin]
  Faults and punishments should be applied according to the actual circumstances.
(literary) to pass by; to go through
- 夫貴賤之於身也，猶條風之時麗也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  夫贵贱之于身也，犹条风之时丽也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Huainanzi, 2^nd century BCE
  Fū guìjiàn zhī yú shēn yě, yóu tiáofēng zhī shí lì yě. [Pinyin]
  Nobility and baseness to a person are like the spring wind passing by in its time.
(literary) to step over; to cross over
- 孔子聞之，徑庭麗級而諫。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  孔子闻之，径庭丽级而谏。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Wang Chong, Lun Heng (Discussive Weighing), 80 CE
  Kǒngzǐ wén zhī, jìng tíng lì jí ér jiàn. [Pinyin]
  Confucius heard of it and crossed the courtyard, stepping over the stairs, to remonstrate.
(literary) to match; to be comparable to
- 鳶飛入鷹隼，魚目麗璵璠。 [MSC, trad.]
  鸢飞入鹰隼，鱼目丽玙璠。 [MSC, simp.]
  From: 劉禹錫, 《武陵書懷五十韻》
  Yuān fēi rù yīngsǔn, yúmù lì yúfán. [Pinyin]
  Kites fly among hawks and falcons; fish eyes match precious jade.
(literary) beam; ridgepole; pillar
Alternative form: 欐 / 𪲔
- 梁麗可以衝城，而不可以窒穴。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  梁丽可以冲城，而不可以窒穴。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE
  Liáng lì kěyǐ chōng chéng, ér bùkěyǐ zhì xué. [Pinyin]
  Beams and pillars can batter down city walls, but cannot plug up holes.
(literary) to think; to contemplate
(calligraphy) having form that extends beyond the structure

Synonyms

美好 (měihǎo)
華美／华美 (huáměi)
漂亮 (piàoliang)

Compounds

Pronunciation 2

Mandarin
(Pinyin): lí (li²)

(Zhuyin): ㄌㄧˊ
Cantonese (Jyutping): lai⁶ / lei⁴
Hakka (Sixian, PFS): lì
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): lê

(Teochew, Peng'im): li⁵

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: lí
  - Zhuyin: ㄌㄧˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: lí
  - Wade–Giles: li²
  - Yale: lí
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: li
  - Palladius: ли (li)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /li³⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: lai⁶ / lei⁴
  - Yale: laih / lèih
  - Cantonese Pinyin: lai⁶ / lei⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: lei⁶ / léi⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /lɐi̯²²/, /lei̯²¹/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: lì
  - Hakka Romanization System: li^ˇ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: li²
  - Sinological IPA: /li¹¹/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lê
  - Tâi-lô: lê
  - Phofsit Daibuun: lee
  - Sinological IPA (Xiamen): /le²⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /le²⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /le¹³/
  - Sinological IPA (Taipei): /le²⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /le²³/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: li⁵
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: lî
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /li⁵⁵/

Middle Chinese: lje

Rime
Character	麗
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	來 (37)
Final (韻)	支 (11)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	呂支切
Baxter	lje
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/liᴇ/
Pan Wuyun	/liɛ/
Shao Rongfen	/ljɛ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/liə̆/
Li Rong	/lie/
Wang Li	/lǐe/
Bernhard Karlgren	/lie̯/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	lí
Expected Cantonese Reflex	lei⁴

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*rel/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	麗
Reading #	2/2
No.	7917
Phonetic component	丽
Rime group	歌
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	離
Old Chinese	/*rel/

Definitions

麗

used in 高麗／高丽 (Gāolí, “Goryeo”) and 高句麗／高句丽 (Gāogōulí, “Goguryeo”)
1. (Korean Classical Chinese) short for 高麗 / 高丽 (“Goryeo”)
  麗祖 [Korean Literary Sinitic] ― 여조 Yeojo [Sino-Korean] ― King Taejo of Goryeo
  
  麗末 [Korean Literary Sinitic] ― 여말 Yeomal [Sino-Korean] ― end of the Goryeo period
  
  麗史 [Korean Literary Sinitic] ― 여사 Yeosa [Sino-Korean] ― history of the Goryeo
  
  麗制 [Korean Literary Sinitic] ― 여제 Yeoje [Sino-Korean] ― policies of the Goryeo
used in 麗水／丽水 (Líshuǐ, “Lishui”)
used in 麗黃／丽黄 (“oriole”)
used in 麗廔／丽𫷹 (“lattice openings in walls”)
(literary) to encounter; to fall into; to suffer
Alternative form: 罹 (lí)
- 魚麗于罶，鱨鯊。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
  鱼丽于罶，鲿鲨。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
  Yú lí yú liǔ, cháng shā. [Pinyin]
  The fish fall into the wicker traps: bream and tench.
(literary) sorrow; grief
Alternative form: 罹 (lí)
- 今爾何為自低卬，悲麗平壯觀？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  今尔何为自低卬，悲丽平壮观？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Cao Pi, 《大牆上蒿行》
  Jīn ěr héwéi zì dī'áng, bēi lí píng zhuàngguān? [Pinyin]
  Why do you now humble yourself, grieving over the grand spectacle?

Compounds

Pronunciation 3

Mandarin
(Pinyin): lǐ (li³)

(Zhuyin): ㄌㄧˇ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: lǐ
  - Zhuyin: ㄌㄧˇ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: lǐ
  - Wade–Giles: li³
  - Yale: lǐ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: lii
  - Palladius: ли (li)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /li²¹⁴/

Definitions

麗

(literary) number; count
- 商之孫子，其麗不億。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
  商之孙子，其丽不亿。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
  Shāng zhī sūnzǐ, qí lǐ bù yì. [Pinyin]
  The descendants of Shang, their number is not just a hundred thousand.

References

周存 [Zhōu, Cún], editor (2023), “丽”, in 长汀话词典 CHANGTINGHUA CIDIAN [Dictionary of Changting Dialect] (overall work in Hakka and Mandarin), Guangzhou: 世界图书出版有限公司 [World Book Publishing Co., Ltd.], →ISBN, page 355.

Japanese

Shinjitai	麗
Kyūjitai ^[1]	麗 `麗` or 麗+`︀`^?
	麗󠄁 麗+`󠄁`^? (Adobe-Japan1)
	麗󠄃 麗+`󠄃`^? (Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho)
The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details.

Kanji

麗

(Jōyō kanji, shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 麗)

Readings

From Middle Chinese 麗 (MC lejH):

Go-on: らい (rai)
Kan-on: れい (rei, Jōyō)

From Middle Chinese 麗 (MC lje):

Go-on: り (ri)
Kan-on: り (ri)

From native Japanese roots:

Kun: うるわしい (uruwashii, 麗しい, Jōyō)、うらら (urara, 麗ら)、うららか (uraraka, 麗らか)、かかる (kakaru, 麗かる)、つく (tsuku, 麗く)、つける (tsukeru, 麗ける)、つらなる (tsuranaru, 麗なる)、ならぶ (narabu, 麗ぶ)
Nanori: あきら (akira)、かず (kazu)、つぐ (tsugu)、つら (tsura)、よし (yoshi)、より (yori)

Compounds

綺(き)麗(れい) (kirei): beauty
口(くち)奇(ぎ)麗(れい) (kuchigirei): speaking elegantly, speaking clearly, speaking innocently

Proper noun

麗(れい) • (Rei)

a female given name

References

^ Haga, Gōtarō (1914), 漢和大辞書 [The Great Kanji-Japanese Dictionary] (in Japanese), Fourth edition, Tōkyō: Kōbunsha, →DOI, page 2423 (paper), page 1263 (digital)

Korean

Hanja

麗 (eumhun 고울 려 (goul ryeo) or (word-initial) 여 (yeo))

hanja form^? of 려/여 (“beautiful; lovely; pretty; fair; elegant”)

Compounds

고려 (高麗, Goryeo, “Goryeo”)
고구려 (高句麗, Goguryeo, “Goguryeo”)
화려 (華麗, hwaryeo, “gorgeous; splendid; resplendent”)
여수 (麗水, Yeosu, “Yeosu”)

Vietnamese

Alternative forms

䴡 (lệ)^[1]
𪋘 (lệ)^[2]

Han character

麗: Hán Việt readings: lệ (郎(lang)計(kế)切(thiết))^[3]^[4]^[5], li (鄰(lân)知(tri)切(thiết))^[4]
麗: Nôm readings: rạy^[6]^[4], li^[4]

chữ Hán form of Lệ (“female given name”)
chữ Hán form of li / ly
chữ Nôm form of rạy

Compounds

高句麗 (Cao Câu Li)
高麗 (Cao Li)

References

[1] Haga, Gōtarō (1914), 漢和大辞書 [The Great Kanji-Japanese Dictionary] (in Japanese), Fourth edition, Tōkyō: Kōbunsha, →DOI, page 2423 (paper), page 1263 (digital)

[tdcntd-2] Nguyễn et al. (2009).

[taberd-3] Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).

[gdhn-4] Trần (2004).

[bonet-5] 4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 ^4.3 Bonet (1899).

[genibrel-6] Génibrel (1898).

[btcn-7] Hồ (1976).

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