練 meaning and stroke order
To drill, to exercise; to practice, to train
How to write 練, 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 練
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to practice
- to train
- to drill
- to perfect (one's skill)
- exercise
- (literary) white silk
How 練 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
糹 gives the meaning and 柬 hints at the sound.
Radical: 糹 (silk), shared by 126 characters on this site.
How to remember 練
練 combines 糹 (silk thread) with 柬 (jiǎn), which gives the sound. Think of working raw silk over and over until it turns smooth and white, just as you repeat a skill until it becomes polished.
練 (liàn) appears mostly in compound words about practice and training, such as 練習 (liànxí) and 訓練 (xùnliàn). It can also stand alone as a verb before a skill. Example: 我每天練書法。(Wǒ měitiān liàn shūfǎ.) I practice calligraphy every day.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 練 with 煉 (liàn, to refine or smelt), which has the fire radical 火 and is used in words like 鍛煉 (duànliàn, physical exercise). In simplified Chinese these become 练 and 炼, and 锻炼 uses the fire version, not the silk one.
Common words with 練
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 練習 | liànxí | to practice; exercise | HSK 2 |
| 訓練 | xùnliàn | to train; to drill | HSK 3 |
| 教練 | jiàoliàn | to coach; to train; instructor; sports coach; trainer (CL:位[wei4],名[ming2]) | HSK 3 |
| 熟練 | shúliàn | practiced; proficient | HSK 4 |
| 排練 | páiliàn | to rehearse; rehearsal | HSK 7-9 |
| 演練 | yǎnliàn | to drill; to practice | HSK 7-9 |
| 精練 | jīngliàn | (textiles) to scour; to degum (silk) | HSK 7-9 |
| 苦練 | kǔ liàn | to train hard; to practice diligently | HSK 7-9 |
| 訓練營 | xùnliànyíng | training camp | |
| 訓練場 | xùnliànchǎng | training ground | |
| 練功 | liàngōng | to practice martial arts, tai chi etc; to train; to practice a skill | |
| 磨練 | móliàn | to temper oneself; to steel oneself | |
| 老練 | lǎoliàn | seasoned; experienced | |
| 操練 | cāoliàn | drill; practice |
Questions about 練
How many strokes are in 練?
練 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 練 mean?
練 (liàn) means to drill, to exercise; to practice, to train. A common word with it is 练习 (liànxí), meaning "to practice; exercise".
How do you pronounce 練?
練 is pronounced liàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 練?
The radical of 練 is 糹, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 練 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 練?
練 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 练, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 練習 and 訓練?
練習 (liànxí) is general practice you do yourself, like practicing vocabulary or piano. 訓練 (xùnliàn) suggests organized, structured training, often led by someone else, such as military or sports training.
Why does a character about practice have a silk radical?
One of its older meanings is white silk, and it is related to processing raw silk. The word 精練 (jīngliàn) still keeps a textile meaning, to scour or degum silk.