联 meaning and stroke order
Ally, associate; to connect, to join
How to write 联, stroke by stroke
12 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 联
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to ally oneself with; to unite; to combine; to join
- (bound form) (poetry) antithetical couplet
How 联 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Ear.
耳 gives the meaning and 关 hints at the sound.
Radical: 耳 (ear), shared by 34 characters on this site.
How to remember 联
联 is pictophonetic: 耳 (ear) on the left gives the meaning side, and 关 (guān) on the right is the sound part. Picture ears listening to each other so people can connect and join together.
联 is a bound form, so it almost always appears inside words like 联系 (liánxì, contact), 联合 (liánhé, to unite) and 互联网 (hùliánwǎng, Internet). Example: 我们保持联系。 (Wǒmen bǎochí liánxì.) Let's keep in touch.
Common mistake: Learners often write the left side as 门 or forget it, because 关 (guān) alone is so familiar. Also remember the tone: 联 is second tone lián, not fourth like 练 (liàn, to practice).
Common words with 联
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 联系 | liánxì | connection; contact | HSK 3 |
| 联合 | liánhé | to combine; to join | HSK 3 |
| 联合国 | Liánhéguó | United Nations | HSK 3 |
| 互联网 | hùliánwǎng | Internet | HSK 3 |
| 联络 | liánluò | to get in touch with; to contact | HSK 5 |
| 联想 | liánxiǎng | to associate (cognitively); to make an associative connection | HSK 5 |
| 联盟 | liánméng | alliance; union | HSK 6 |
| 关联 | guānlián | to be related; to be connected; relationship; connection | HSK 6 |
| 联手 | liánshǒu | lit. to join hands; to act together | HSK 6 |
| 联赛 | liánsài | (sports) league; league tournament | HSK 6 |
| 联邦 | liánbāng | federal; federation | HSK 7-9 |
| 联网 | liánwǎng | to connect (or be connected) to a network; to network | HSK 7-9 |
| 对联 | duìlián | rhyming couplet; pair of lines of verse written vertically down the sides of a doorway | HSK 7-9 |
| 联欢 | liánhuān | to have a get-together; celebration | HSK 7-9 |
联 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 联
How many strokes are in 联?
联 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 联 mean?
联 (lián) means ally, associate; to connect, to join. A common word with it is 联系 (liánxì), meaning "connection; contact".
How do you pronounce 联?
联 is pronounced lián, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 联?
The radical of 联 is 耳, which carries the idea of "ear". Dictionaries list 联 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 联?
The traditional form of 联 is 聯. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 联 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 联 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 联 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.
Can 联 be used alone as a verb?
Not usually in modern speech. You would say 联系 (liánxì) or 联合 (liánhé) instead of just 联. It appears alone mainly in fixed or formal phrases.
What does 联 mean in 对联?
In 对联 (duìlián), 联 refers to an antithetical couplet, a pair of matching poetic lines. These are often pasted on doorways during Chinese New Year as 春联 (chūnlián).