肋 meaning and stroke order
Ribs; chest
How to write 肋, stroke by stroke
6 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 肋
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) rib
- Taiwan pr. [le4]
How 肋 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Flesh.
⺼ gives the meaning and 力 hints at the sound.
Radical: ⺼ (meat), shared by 176 characters on this site.
How to remember 肋
The flesh radical ⺼ on the left tells you this is a body part, and 力 (lì) on the right gives the sound. Picture the ribs as the strong frame of flesh that gives your chest its strength 力.
In modern Chinese 肋 is almost always read lèi and appears inside words rather than alone, most often 肋骨 (lèigǔ, rib) and 软肋 (ruǎnlèi, weak spot). 他摔倒时断了一根肋骨。(Tā shuāidǎo shí duàn le yì gēn lèigǔ.) He broke a rib when he fell.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 肋 with 助 (zhù, to help), which has the same 力 but 且 on the left instead of the flesh radical ⺼. Also note the reading: the standard word reading is lèi, not lē or lì.
Common words with 肋
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 肋骨 | lèigǔ | rib | |
| 软肋 | ruǎnlèi | (anatomy) costal cartilage; (fig.) weak spot; weak link; vulnerability |
Characters that contain 肋
Learning 肋 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 肋
How many strokes are in 肋?
肋 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 肋 mean?
肋 (lē) means ribs; chest. A common word with it is 肋骨 (lèigǔ), meaning "rib".
How do you pronounce 肋?
肋 is pronounced lē, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 肋?
The radical of 肋 is ⺼, which carries the idea of "meat". Dictionaries list 肋 under this radical.
When is 肋 pronounced lē instead of lèi?
The lē reading is rare and mostly found in a few colloquial expressions. For everyday words like 肋骨 and 软肋, use lèi.
What does 软肋 mean figuratively?
Literally it refers to soft rib cartilage, but figuratively it means someone's weak point or vulnerability. For example, 他的软肋是家人 means his family is his weak spot.