厲 meaning and stroke order
Whetstone; to grind, to sharpen, to whet
How to write 厲, stroke by stroke
15 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 厲
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- strict
- severe
How 厲 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 厂 (cliff), shared by 29 characters on this site.
How to remember 厲
Picture a cliff 厂 with ten thousand 萬 (wàn) people grinding blades on its rock face. A cliff used as a giant whetstone is harsh and severe, which links to the meanings sharpen and strict.
厲 is the traditional form, and in mainland simplified text it appears as 厉. It shows up mostly in words like 嚴厲 (yánlì, strict) and 厲害 (lìhai), which describes something that makes a strong impression, good or bad. Example: 你真厲害。(Nǐ zhēn lìhai.) You're really impressive.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 厲 with 勵 (lì, to encourage), which adds 力 on the right and appears in 鼓勵 (gǔlì). In 厲害 the second syllable is usually said in the neutral tone, lìhai, not lìhài.
Common words with 厲
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Characters that contain 厲
Learning 厲 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 厲
How many strokes are in 厲?
厲 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 厲 mean?
厲 (lì) means whetstone; to grind, to sharpen, to whet. A common word with it is 厉害 (lìhai), meaning "(used to describe sb or sth that makes a very strong impression, whether favorable or unfa".
How do you pronounce 厲?
厲 is pronounced lì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 厲?
The radical of 厲 is 厂, which carries the idea of "cliff". Dictionaries list 厲 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 厲?
厲 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 厉, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 厲害 a compliment or a criticism?
It can be either. 你好厲害 praises someone as amazing, while 頭疼得厲害 (tóu téng de lìhai) means the headache is severe. Context tells you which.
How is 嚴厲 different from 嚴格 (yángé)?
嚴格 means strict in following rules or standards. 嚴厲 stresses a harsh or stern manner, like a teacher who scolds sternly.