立 meaning and stroke order
To stand; to set up; to establish
How to write 立, stroke by stroke
5 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Meaning of 立
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to stand
- to set up
- to establish
- to lay down
- to draw up
- at once
How 立 is built
Pictographic character. A man standing on the ground 一.
How to remember 立
The character is a picture of a person standing on the ground: the top part 亠 is the head, 丷 are the arms or legs spread out, and the bottom line 一 is the ground. If a person can stand firmly, they can also set something up, which is the second meaning.
立 (lì) rarely appears alone in modern speech. It mostly shows up in words like 建立 (jiànlì, to establish), 独立 (dúlì, independent) and 立刻 (lìkè, at once). Example: 我立刻回来。(Wǒ lìkè huílai.) I will come right back.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 立 (lì) with 位 (wèi, position) or 拉 (lā, to pull), which contain 立 but add a radical on the left. Also note the bottom stroke is longer than the others, since it is the ground.
Common words with 立
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 立刻 | lìkè | immediately; at once; right away | HSK 3 |
| 建立 | jiànlì | to establish; to set up | HSK 3 |
| 成立 | chénglì | to establish; to set up | HSK 3 |
| 设立 | shèlì | to set up; to establish | HSK 3 |
| 立即 | lìjí | immediately | HSK 4 |
| 独立 | dúlì | independent; independence | HSK 4 |
| 立场 | lìchǎng | position; standpoint | HSK 5 |
| 创立 | chuànglì | to establish; to set up; to found | HSK 5 |
| 对立 | duìlì | to oppose; to set sth against | HSK 5 |
| 确立 | quèlì | to establish; to institute | HSK 5 |
| 孤立 | gūlì | to isolate; isolated | HSK 7-9 |
| 站立 | zhànlì | to stand; standing | HSK 7-9 |
| 中立 | zhōnglì | neutral; neutrality | HSK 7-9 |
| 树立 | shùlì | to set up; to establish | HSK 7-9 |
立 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 立
Learning 立 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 立
How many strokes are in 立?
立 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 立 mean?
立 (lì) means to stand; to set up; to establish. A common word with it is 立刻 (lìkè), meaning "immediately; at once; right away".
How do you pronounce 立?
立 is pronounced lì, in the fourth tone (falling).
Is 立 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 立 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 立刻 and 立即?
Both mean immediately. 立刻 (lìkè) is common in everyday speech, while 立即 (lìjí) sounds a bit more formal and appears often in written notices and news.
Can 立 be used to say someone is standing?
In modern spoken Chinese, people usually say 站 (zhàn) for to stand, as in 站起来 (zhàn qǐlai). 立 for standing survives mainly in set phrases like 立正 (lìzhèng, stand at attention).